[Do our patients know the economic cost of medication of the chronic type? Are they interested?].
OBJECTIVE
To identify how much patients know about the cost of the long-term medication they take and what importance they give to its cost.


METHODS
Descriptive study with a questionnaire to people collecting their prescriptions for long-term treatment.


METHODS
Patients of working age and pensioners of our health centre who take medication for chronic illnesses.


METHODS
100 patients of working age and 100 pensioners who take medication for chronic illnesses.


METHODS
They were asked how much they thought each drug they picked up in CLT prescriptions cost. The figure given was compared with the real price. An opinion questionnaire, with 5 questions on the economic aspects of medication, was conducted.


RESULTS
Patients of working age knew the price of 64% of their prescriptions with under 25% error. Pensioners only knew the cost of 27% of their prescriptions with under 25% error. 50% of patients of working age were very interested in the cost of what their doctor prescribed, whereas only 30.4% of pensioners were.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients of working age know quite accurately how much the drugs they are prescribed for long-term treatment cost, but pensioners know a lot less. Patients believed that doctors were sufficiently sensitive to the cost of prescriptions.
Leal Hernández
M
M
Centro de Salud de Beniaján, Unidad Docente de Medicina Familiar y Comunitaria, Murcia.
Sánchez Gil
D
D
Sebastián Raz
J M
JM
Gómez Gotor
M C
MC
Hernández Pedreño
M C
MC
Pérez Muñoz
M C
MC
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D004651:Employment; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care; D008875:Middle Aged; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D010361:Patients; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000191:economics*; D012179:Retirement; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors
D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations