Factors associated with prescription drug expenditures among children: an analysis of the Medical Expenditure Panel survey.
OBJECTIVE
Pharmaceutical costs have reached 14% of total health care costs in the United States and continue to rise. Many studies have looked at factors that influence utilization of hospital and ambulatory care services in the pediatric population. This study examines the factors that influence utilization of prescription drugs in the pediatric population.


METHODS
Data from the 1996 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) were used in the analysis. A 2-part multivariate regression analysis was conducted using pediatric (ages 0-17) prescription drug expenditures as the dependent variable. Independent variables were constructed using demographic variables, socioeconomic variables, health status, and medical conditions.


RESULTS
Black children are less likely than white children to use any prescription drug (odds ratio: 0.67). Similarly, uninsured children are less likely than privately insured children to use any prescription drug (odds ratio: 0.62). Among children who had any prescription drug expenditure in 1996, children who are black, Asian, and Hispanic had lower prescription drug expenditures than children who are white. Children who are uninsured had lower expenditures than children who are privately insured. Children in near-poor families had lower prescription drug expenditures than those in high-income families, even after controlling for insurance status. Children who are covered by Medicaid had comparable prescription drug expenditures to children who are covered by private insurance.


CONCLUSIONS
Socioeconomic characteristics such as race, insurance status, and family income levels had significant impact on pediatric prescription drug expenditures, even after controlling for the influences of health status and medical conditions.
Chen
Alex Y
AY
Department of Pediatrics, UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California 90024, USA. alexycchen@yahoo.com
Chang
Ruey-Kang R
RK
D000293:Adolescent; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016527:Drug Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000191:economics*; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs; D005102:Health Expenditures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006302:Health Services Research / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D019458:Insurance Coverage / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012044:Regression Analysis