H. Xiao et al., The association between pharmacy closures and prescription drug use: A retrospective analysis of Medicaid prescription claims in Iowa, AM J M CARE, 6(3), 2000, pp. 366-372
Citations number
17
Categorie Soggetti
Public Health & Health Care Science","Health Care Sciences & Services
Objectives: The objectives of this study were 2-fold: (1) to examine the as
sociation of pharmacy closures with prescription drug use by Medicaid recip
ients in Iowa; and (2) to evaluate how drug utilization patterns differ bet
ween patients whose pharmacies closed and patients whose pharmacies remaine
d open.
Design: A 2-group pretest-posttest study of Medicaid enrollees who may have
been affected by pharmacy closures. Prescription medication use during the
periods preceding and after pharmacy closures was compared. A comparison g
roup was used to account for extraneous factors.
Patients and Methods: Sixteen community pharmacies were selected from a poo
l of pharmacies that closed during 1994; 1092 patients were identified as t
he main users of these pharmacies, and a comparison group of 3491 patients
whose main pharmacies had not closed also was identified. The average numbe
r of each patient's prescription claims for the 6 months preceding closing
and the 6 months after closing was computed. Multiple regression analysis w
as conducted to determine whether any association existed between pharmacy
closures and the use of prescription drugs.
Results: Patients whose pharmacies closed during 1994 had fewer prescriptio
n claims after the closings than before the closings. In contrast, patients
whose pharmacies remained open had more prescription claims. This differen
ce remains statistically significant after controlling for other factors, s
uch as patient demographics and health status.
Conclusions: A decrease in prescription drug use was associated with pharma
cy closures. Attention should be directed to patient access to prescription
medications in rural areas, as relatively more pharmacies close in rural a
reas.