title: Utilization of prescription medications and ancillary pharmacy services among rural elders in west Texas: distance barriers and implications for telepharmacy.
abstract: We examine the relationship between distance and access to prescription medications and ancillary pharmacy services among rural elders in west Texas. Further understanding this relationship is important because programs such as telepharmacy are largely justified on the basis of reducing distance barriers. We use data from the Texas Tech 5000 survey to evaluate the relationship between distance and access. In addition, we examine whether regulations that prohibit competition between independent pharmacies and telepharmacies create a distance barrier to prescription medication. Our findings suggest that distance is a barrier to access, but telepharmacy regulations in Texas do not exacerbate the impact of distance.
authors.affiliation: Texas Tech University, Lubbock, USA.
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Collins
authors.forename: Tyrone F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Borders
authors.forename: Kristen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tebrink
authors.forename: Ke Tom
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D011307:Drug Prescriptions; D004465:Economic Competition / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020380:Needs Assessment; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010593:Pharmaceutical Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000600:supply & distribution; D010594:Pharmacies / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D019035:Rural Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D017216:Telemedicine / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013781:Texas; D014186:Transportation