Description/Abstract
Diabetes and hypertension are among the leading causes of poor health and mortality in the United States. Properly taking prescribed medications to manage these conditions is critical for maintaining health and preventing complications. This is especially true for older adults, who are more likely to live with these chronic conditions. This brief summarizes findings from a study of an older adults in Missouri who participated in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) between 2006 and 2014. On average, 1 in 4 individuals with hypertension and 1 in 3 with diabetes did not properly take prescribed medications to manage their health condition. The risk of medication non-adherence increases with age and is higher among non-White and urban residents. Findings underscore the value of investing in interventions to improve medication adherence among the older adult SNAP-eligible population.
Document Type
Research Brief
Keywords
SNAP, Population Health, Medication Adherence, Older Adults
Disciplines
Community Health and Preventive Medicine | Food Studies | Other Public Health | Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration | Public Health | Social and Behavioral Sciences
Date
8-10-2021
For More Information
Language
English
Acknowledgements
This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service through the University of Kentucky Center for Poverty Research [3200002889-20-245]. The findings and conclusions in this publication are those of the authors and should not be construed to represent any official USDA or U.S. government determination or policy or views of the sponsoring institutions. The authors gratefully acknowledge the services and support of the Center for Aging and Policy Studies at Syracuse University, funded by the National Institutes of Health NIA Center Grant P30AG066583. The authors also thank Nicole Replogle and Shannon Monnat for help editing this brief.
Funder(s)
U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service through the University of Kentucky Center for Poverty Research, National Institutes of Health NIA Center Grant
Funding ID
3200002889-20-245, P30AG066583
Recommended Citation
Heflin, Colleen; Ojinnaka, Chinedum O.; Arteaga, Irma; and Quick, Lauryn, "Proper Medication Adherence is a Challenge for Older SNAP Participants with Chronic Health Conditions" (2021). Population Health Research Brief Series. 147.
https://surface.syr.edu/lerner/147
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Included in
Community Health and Preventive Medicine Commons, Food Studies Commons, Other Public Health Commons, Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration Commons
