Cost-related non-adherence to prescription medication

Proportion of the population who delayed or did not fill a prescription, or reduced or skipped doses of medication because of the cost, in the past year.

Cost-related non-adherence (CRNA) to prescription medication measures the proportion of the population who modified their medication routines due to economic reasons in the past year. This includes delaying or not filling a prescription and/or skipping or reducing doses of medication to make the prescription last longer.

In the Survey on Health Care Access and Experiences (SHCAE-PSC) and the Survey on Health Care Access and Experiences – Virtual Care and Pharmaceuticals (SHCAE-VCP)  survey respondents are asked:

In the past 12 months, did you do any of the following because of the cost of your prescription medication?

• Not fill or collect a prescription medication
• Skip doses of your medication
• Reduce the dosage of your medication
• Delay filling a prescription
• None of the above

In the Survey Series on First Nations Peoples, Métis and Inuit (SSFNPMI), survey respondents are asked:

In the past 12 months, did you do any of the following because of the cost of your prescription medications?

• Not fill or collect a prescription medication
• Skip doses of your prescription medication
• Reduce the dosage of your prescription medication
• Delay filling or refilling a prescription medication
• Other decision due to cost of prescription medications
• Did not do any of the above because of the cost of your prescription medications

This indicator is measured through multiple Statistics Canada surveys. Estimates can vary between data sources due to differences in reference periods, targeted or sampled populations, data collection and other methodology.

• Survey on Health Care Access and Experiences Primary and Specialist Care (SHCAE-PSC)
• Survey on Health Care Access and Experiences – Virtual Care and Pharmaceuticals (SHCAE-VCP)
• Canadian Community Health Survey – Annual Component (CCHS)
• Survey on Access to Health Care and Pharmaceuticals During the Pandemic (SAHCPDP)
• Survey Series on First Nations People, Métis and Inuit (SSFNPMI)

• Pharmaceutical access and use (Statistics Canada - Infographics, November 2, 2022)

• Access to prescription insurance and medication use during the COVID-19 pandemic among First Nations people living off reserve, Métis and Inuit in the provinces, 2021 (The Daily, October 15, 2024)
• Access to prescription insurance and medication use during the COVID-19 pandemic among First Nations people living off reserve, Métis and Inuit in the provinces (Indigenous Peoples Thematic Series, October 15, 2024)
• Exploring gaps in prescription drug insurance coverage among men and women in Canada using an intersectional lens (Insights on Canadian Society, January 10, 2024)
• Pharmaceutical access and use during the pandemic (Insights on Canadian Society, November 2, 2022)