scholarly journals Trends of and Characteristics Associated with the Online Prescription Filling Behavior among Adults in the United States: Results from the National Health Interview Survey, 2009-2018 (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lin-Ya Yang ◽  
Jennifer Lyons ◽  
Steven Erickson ◽  
Chung-Hsuen Wu
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
National Health ◽  
National Health Interview Survey ◽  
The United States ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Health Interview Survey ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
Health Interview ◽  
Interview Survey

BACKGROUND Filling a prescription online has become an alternative to in-person pharmacies for patients to access their medications. However, adoption of online filling has been gradual and use patterns remain unclear. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to estimate the trend and prevalence of online prescription filling behavior and identify factors associated with the behavior of filling a prescription online among adults in the United States (U.S.). METHODS We used data from the U.S. National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), spanning the years from 2009 to 2018. Filling a prescription online was defined as adult respondents (aged 18 and over) self-reported whether they had ever filled a prescription on the internet in the past 12 months during the survey year. We reported trends using weighted percentages adjusted by the NHIS complex sampling design. We used descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression models to examine trends and identify factors associated with online prescription filling behavior. RESULTS The number of adults reporting online prescription filling behavior significantly increased from 13,319,877 (5.9%) in 2009 to 28,308,262 (11.5%) in 2018. Those who were more likely to report filling a prescription online were aged 35-74, female, white, frequent users of the computer or internet, and reported higher education, higher income, insurance coverage, and poorer health status. CONCLUSIONS Online prescription filling behavior among U.S. adults has increased significantly from 2009 to 2018. Health care providers should be aware of the upward trend in the use of online pharmacies and ensure the safety of medication use from online prescriptions.

Ethanol in Over-the-Counter Drugs

1996 ◽  
Vol 17 (10) ◽  
pp. 342-343
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
National Health ◽  
Common Cold ◽  
National Health Interview Survey ◽  
The United States ◽  
Over The Counter ◽  
Health Interview Survey ◽  
Health Interview ◽  
Interview Survey ◽  
The Common

The use of over-the-counter (OTC) medications among children in the United States is extensive. More than 800 OTC medications are available for treatment of the common cold, with almost 2 billion dollars spent annually on cough and cold medications alone. In 1994, Kogan et al determined that more than 50% of 3-year-old children in the United States had been given OTC medications in the 30 days prior to the study survey. Cough and cold preparations and acetaminophen were reported to be the medications used most frequently (66.7%). The use of cough and cold medications has not decreased when compared with findings from a 1981 National Health Interview Survey, despite increasing evidence that these medications are not effective and, in some circumstances, even may be harmful to children.

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