The Adherence and Financial Impact of ADHD Medication Costs
A Comparative Study Between China and the USA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58445/rars.1677Keywords:
ADHD, neurodevelopmental disorder, economicsAbstract
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder that requires lifelong medication, yet adherence rates and financial burdens vary significantly across countries. This paper investigates the effects of ADHD medication costs on adherence and financial strain in China and the USA, exploring how price variations impact medication adherence within different healthcare systems. A comprehensive literature review was conducted using the PICO framework and organized in an Excel spreadsheet. Findings reveal that higher out-of-pocket costs are negatively correlated with adherence rates, with the impact being more pronounced in the US. Additionally, the financial burden of ADHD medications is significantly greater in the US with its less comprehensive healthcare system. This analysis provides insights into adherence barriers and financial challenges, offering suggestions for addressing similar issues in other countries with comparable healthcare contexts.
References
Adrienne, Y. L. C., Ma, T.-T., Lau, C. Y. W., Ip, P., Coghill, D., Gao, L., Jani, Y., Hsia, Y., Wei, L., Taxis, K., Simonoff, E., Taylor, D., Lum, T. Y., Man, K. K. C., & Ian. (2023). Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder medication consumption in 64 countries and regions from 2015 to 2019: A longitudinal study. The Lancet, 58, 101780. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2022.101780
Biederman, J., Fried, R., DiSalvo, M., Storch, B., Pulli, A., Woodworth, K. Y., Biederman, I., Faraone, S. V., & Perlis, R. H. (2019). Evidence of low adherence to stimulant medication among children and youths with ADHD: An electronic health records study. Psychiatric Services, 70(10), 874–880. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.201800515
Bokhari, F. A. S., & Fournier, G. M. (2013). Entry in the ADHD drugs market: Welfare impact of generics and me-too’s. The Journal of Industrial Economics, 61(2), 339–392. https://doi.org/10.1111/joie.12017
Chan, W. W. Y., Shum, K. K., & Sonuga‐Barke, E. J. S. (2022). Attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in cultural context: Do parents in Hong Kong and the United Kingdom adopt different thresholds when rating symptoms, and if so why? International Journal of Methods in Psychiatric Research, 31(3). https://doi.org/10.1002/mpr.1923
Cleveland Clinic. (2022, October 6). ADHD medications: How they work & side effects. Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/11766-adhd-medication
Desai, S., & McWilliams, J. M. (2018). Consequences of the 340B drug pricing program. New England Journal of Medicine, 378(6), 539–548. https://doi.org/10.1056/nejmsa1706475
Dusetzina, S. B., Besaw, R. J., Whitmore, C. C., Mattingly, T. J., II, Sinaiko, A. D., Keating, N. L., & Everson, J. (2023). Cost-related medication nonadherence and desire for medication cost information among adults aged 65 years and older in the US in 2022. JAMA Network Open, 6(5), e2314211. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.14211
Fang, H. (2020, June 5). China | Commonwealth Fund. Commonwealth Fund. https://www.commonwealthfund.org/international-health-policy-center/countries/china
Fielding, J. (2018). Comparing the United States’ and China’s shifting health challenges. American Journal of Public Health, 108(12), 1603–1606. https://doi.org/10.2105/ajph.2018.304782
Ge, P., Liu, S., Xu, S., Zhang, J., Lai, Y., Fu, R., Ke, X., Zhao, J., Bian, Y., & Wu, Y. (2022). The influence of parents on medication adherence of their children in China: A cross-sectional online investigation based on health belief model. Frontiers in Public Health, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2022.845032
Grand View Research. (2023). Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) market size, share & trends analysis report by drug type (stimulants, non-stimulants), by age, by distribution channel, by region, and segment forecasts, 2024 - 2030. Grand View Research. https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd-market
Ho, P. M., Bryson, C. L., & Rumsfeld, J. S. (2009). Medication adherence. Circulation, 119(23), 3028–3035. https://doi.org/10.1161/circulationaha.108.768986
How economic stability creates health. (n.d.). Environment & Health Data Portal. https://a816-dohbesp.nyc.gov/IndicatorPublic/data-stories/economic-stability/#:~:text=Health%20is%20determined%20by%20many
Jakovljević, M., Chang, H.-Y., Pan, J., Guo, C., Jin, H., Hu, H., Danko Grujic, Li, Z., & Shi, L. (2023). Successes and challenges of China’s health care reform: A four-decade perspective spanning 1985—2023. Cost Effectiveness and Resource Allocation, 21(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12962-023-00461-9
Reynolds, E. L., Burke, J. F., Banerjee, M., Kerber, K. A., Skolarus, L. E., Magliocco, B., Esper, G. J., & Callaghan, B. C. (2020). Association of out-of-pocket costs on adherence to common neurologic medications. Neurology, 94(13), e1415–e1426. https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.0000000000009039
Scheffler, R. M., Hinshaw, S. P., Modrek, S., & Levine, P. (2007). The global market for ADHD medications. Health Affairs, 26(2), 450–457. https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.26.2.450
Schein, J., Adler, L. A., Childress, A., Cloutier, M., Gagnon-Sanschagrin, P., Davidson, M., Kinkead, F., Guerin, A., & Lefebvre, P. (2022). Economic burden of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder among children and adolescents in the United States: A societal perspective. Journal of Medical Economics, 25(1), 1–48. https://doi.org/10.1080/13696998.2022.2032097
The. (2021, June 17). A comprehensive guide to understanding universal health care in the US. Itsuptous.org. https://www.itsuptous.org/blog/Universal-Health-Care?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwy8i0BhAkEiwAdFaeGHjfBAIOWHDmW6589vNbfGytiKnorT1DspiuJ384NT-GlEQsLfqh6BoCfPcQAvD_BwE
Tin, A. (2024, February 8). Why is there an ADHD medication shortage in 2024? What’s making generics of Vyvanse, Adderall and more so scarce. CBS News. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/adhd-medication-shortage-cause/
World Health Organization. (2003). Evidence for action. https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/42682/9241545992.pdf
Downloads
Posted
Categories
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Rachel Lai, John Anagnost
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.