Food Insecurity Is Associated with Cost-Related Medication Non-Adherence in Community-Dwelling, Low-Income Older Adults in Georgia

Abstract

Low-income older adults are at increased risk of cutting back on basic needs, including food and medication. This study examined the relationship between food insecurity and cost-related medication non-adherence (CRN) in low-income Georgian older adults. The study sample includes new Older Americans Act Nutrition Program participants and waitlisted people assessed by a self-administered mail survey (N = 1000, mean age 75.0 ± 9.1 years, 68.4% women, 25.8% African American). About 49.7% of participants were food insecure, while 44.4% reported practicing CRN. Those who were food insecure and/or who practiced CRN were more likely to be African American, low-income, younger, less educated, and to report poorer self-reported health status. Food insecure participants were 2.9 (95% CI 2.2, 4.0) times more likely to practice CRN behaviors than their counterparts after controlling for potential confounders. Improving food security is important inorder to promote adherence to recommended prescription regimens.

KEYWORDS:

• cost-related medication non-adherence
• food insecurity
• Older Americans Act Nutrition Program

At the time the work was completed, Rebecca Bengle and Stephanie Sinnett were graduate assistants.

A portion of this article was presented as an oral abstract titled “Cost-related Medication Non-adherence and Food Insecurity in Low-income Older Adults in Georgia” at the 2009 Gerontological Society of America in Atlanta, GA.

This work was supported by the U.S. Administration on Aging Advanced Performance Outcomes Measures Project (Grant number 427-93-08081298-99 to J.S.L.); the United States Department of Agriculture/Economic Research Service/University of California Davis RIDGE program (Grant number SUB07-000687-03 to J.S.L.); and an American Dietetic Association Healthy Aging DPG Student Research Award (to R.B.).

Notes

*CRN-P denotes those reporting restricting medication use due to cost in the 30 days prior to survey completion.

†CRN-NP denotes those who did not report restricting medication use due to cost in the 30 days prior to survey completion.

‡Based on the modified 6-item USDA Household Food Security Survey Module classification (49).

^§Individuals classified as Asian, American Indian or Alaskan Native, Other, or Did Not Disclose by the Georgia Division of Aging Services client database system were classified as “Other” for analysis.

^∥Participant county of residence according to the “Five Georgias” classification (54).

*Based on the modified 6-item USDA Household Food Security Survey Module classification (49).

†Individuals classified as Asian, American Indian or Alaskan Native, Other, or Did Not Disclose by the Georgia Division of Aging Services client database system were classified as “Other” for analysis.

‡Participant county of residence according to the “Five Georgias” classification (54).