title: The stratification of drug expenditures incurred by Poles.
abstract: The scale of drug expenditures incurred by a society depends on a variety of factors, including economic status of household which purchases drugs. In a basic economic model household income level determines possibility to afford more or less expensive version of drug therapy. This article shows the amount of drug expenditures in relation to the income of an average household in the period of 1993-2005. In the research period, differences in the available income increased among income groups of average household. Among ten decile income groups of average household share of expenditures on drugs in total expenditures as well as real value of expenditures on drugs increased. The implementation of Sickness Funds system (i.e. Regional Health Insurance) did not decrease stratification in drug expenditures among income groups. After 1999, the stratification reached the highest reported level (decile X to decile I: 6.89 +/- 0.85 in the period of 2000-2005 vs. 4.98 +/- 0.37 in 1993-1999).
authors: Department of Basic Biomedical Science, School of Pharmacy and Division Medical University of Silesia, Katowice.
authors: Piotr
authors: P
authors: Swistak
authors: Marek
authors: M
authors: Wikiński
authors: Justyna
authors: J
authors: Swistak
authors: Barbara
authors: B
authors: Błonska-Fajfrowska
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D005102:Health Expenditures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D008297:Male; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000191:economics*; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000191:economics*; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D011634:Public Health; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
chemical_list: D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations