Millar W J
Health Statistics Division at Statistics Canada, Ottawa.
Health Rep. 1999 Spring;10(4):11-31(ENG); 9-30(FRE).
This article examines socioeconomic differences in supplementary insurance for prescription drugs among Canadians aged 15 or older and how the availability of such insurance affects prescription drug use.
The data on prescription drug insurance coverage and drug use are from the cross-sectional Health file of the 1996/97 National Population Health Survey (NPHS) conducted by Statistics Canada. The sample size of the population aged 15 or older was 70,884.
Rates of insurance coverage for prescription drug services were calculated. All summary estimates were age-adjusted using the 1996/97 population of Canada (both sexes).
Among people aged 15 or older, 61% were covered for prescription medications in 1996/97. Sixty-five percent of workers reported coverage, while those who were not working were less likely to have benefits (52%). Only 38% of lower income groups had insurance compared with 74% of the highest income group. Regardless of the number of chronic diseases individuals had, those with drug insurance were more likely to report taking medication.
本文研究了15岁及以上加拿大人在处方药补充保险方面的社会经济差异，以及此类保险的可获得性如何影响处方药的使用。
处方药保险覆盖范围和用药的数据来自加拿大统计局进行的1996/97年全国人口健康调查（NPHS）的横断面健康档案。15岁及以上人口的样本量为70,884。
计算了处方药服务的保险覆盖率。所有汇总估计值均使用1996/97年加拿大人口（男女）进行年龄调整。
在15岁及以上的人群中，1996/97年有61%的人享有处方药保险。65%的在职人员报告有保险覆盖，而那些没有工作的人获得保险福利的可能性较小（52%）。只有38%的低收入群体有保险，而高收入群体这一比例为74%。无论个体患慢性病的数量如何，拥有药品保险的人更有可能报告正在服药。
