Objectives : The amount of medical utilization by Medical
Aid recipients was 3.7 times that of patients with Korean
Medical Insurance. This study aims to describe the surplus
medicine and the medication-related utilization, and to
determine factors contributing to surplus medicine.
Methods : Among those who used copayment-free Class
I Medical Aid in 2005, 146,880 subjects who were ≥19
year-old and received >365 days medical treatment per
year were studied with their case managers by conducting
face-to-face interviews. The analytic methods were
description, chi-square, t-tests, ANCOVA and multiple
logistic regressions.
Results : Most subjects were female (68.6%), the elderly
(62.5%), and the separated (61.6%), had an elementary
graduation or less (74.8%), and had disabilities (33.2%).
The percentage of subjects with surplus medicine was
18.5%. However, the percentage of females, the elderly,
those with non-disabilities, the separated, the uneducated,
those with a very poor perceived health status and those
with an economical burden for medical treatment was
19.3%, 18.9%, 19.0%, 19.3%, 19.0%, 20.2% and 24.3%,
respectively. For subjects with surplus medicine, averages
for the number of used pharmacies, the pharmacy-visit
days and the medication costs were 4.6 drugstores, 34.9
days and approximately 1,124 thousand Won(₩). These
values were higher than those without surplus medicine
(4.4 drugstores , 33.8 days, and ₩1,110 thousand,
respectively). The odds ratios of the contributing factors to
surplus medicine were female 1.11 (95% CI=1.07-1.14), the
elderly 1.06 (95% CI=1.02-1.10), those with non-disabilities
1.08 (95% CI=1.05-1.12), the separated 1.14 (95%
CI=1.10-1.18), the unmarried 1.12 (95% CI=1.07-1.18), the
uneducated 1.03 (95% CI=1.01-1.08), those with a very
poor perceived health status 1.04 (95% CI=1.01-1.08) and
experiencing an economical burden for medical treatment
2.33 (95% CI=2.26-2.40).
Conclusions : 18.5% of subjects had surplus medicine
with a higher mean of medication cost. Therefore, health
education and health promotion programs to prevent
surplus medicine and to improve the appropriate usage of
medication are necessary.
Objectives : The amount of medical utilization by Medical
Aid recipients was 3.7 times that of patients with Korean
Medical Insurance. This study aims to describe the surplus
medicine and the medication-related utilization, and to
determine factors contributing to surplus medicine.
Methods : Among those who used copayment-free Class
I Medical Aid in 2005, 146,880 subjects who were ≥19
year-old and received >365 days medical treatment per
year were studied with their case managers by conducting
face-to-face interviews. The analytic methods were
description, chi-square, t-tests, ANCOVA and multiple
logistic regressions.
Results : Most subjects were female (68.6%), the elderly
(62.5%), and the separated (61.6%), had an elementary
graduation or less (74.8%), and had disabilities (33.2%).
The percentage of subjects with surplus medicine was
18.5%. However, the percentage of females, the elderly,
those with non-disabilities, the separated, the uneducated,
those with a very poor perceived health status and those
with an economical burden for medical treatment was
19.3%, 18.9%, 19.0%, 19.3%, 19.0%, 20.2% and 24.3%,
respectively. For subjects with surplus medicine, averages
for the number of used pharmacies, the pharmacy-visit
days and the medication costs were 4.6 drugstores, 34.9
days and approximately 1,124 thousand Won(₩). These
values were higher than those without surplus medicine
(4.4 drugstores , 33.8 days, and ₩1,110 thousand,
respectively). The odds ratios of the contributing factors to
surplus medicine were female 1.11 (95% CI=1.07-1.14), the
elderly 1.06 (95% CI=1.02-1.10), those with non-disabilities
1.08 (95% CI=1.05-1.12), the separated 1.14 (95%
CI=1.10-1.18), the unmarried 1.12 (95% CI=1.07-1.18), the
uneducated 1.03 (95% CI=1.01-1.08), those with a very
poor perceived health status 1.04 (95% CI=1.01-1.08) and
experiencing an economical burden for medical treatment
2.33 (95% CI=2.26-2.40).
Conclusions : 18.5% of subjects had surplus medicine
with a higher mean of medication cost. Therefore, health
education and health promotion programs to prevent
surplus medicine and to improve the appropriate usage of
medication are necessary.