American job losses means 57.5M fewer prescriptions filled, study says

Loss of employment often reduces medication adherence through the subsequent loss of insurance and income, according to a study published Feb. 15 in International Journal of Health Services.

Using data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, the research team found the growth in unemployment during the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a 2.6 percent decrease in medication adherence and 57.5 million fewer prescriptions filled in 2020