2017 Volume 60 Issue 9 Pages 590-595
The Aozora Pharmacy conducted a study on the relationship between the rate of self-coverage of medical costs and the treatment outcomes in type-2 diabetes patients. A group of patients who received discounted or free-of-charge services from a hospital, which excluded members of the government's social security program (Mutei group; n=60) was compared to a group of patients who did not receive discounted or free-of-charge services (Non-mutei group n=931). Significant differences were observed in the HbA1c (%) (Mutei group: 7.5±1.5, Non-mutei group: 7.0±1.0, p<0.05) and BMI (kg/m2) values (Mutei group: 26.8±4.8, Non-mutei group: 25.0±4.7, p<0.05). The results also showed that the use of insulin or GLP-1 receptor agonists (Odds ratio: 4.3, p<0.001) was significantly higher in the Mutei Group. It was suggested that the patients in the Mutei Group were likely to be in a situation in which they required sophisticated treatment due to high blood sugar levels, but were unable to afford to make lifestyle improvements due to financial difficulties.
It is necessary for pharmacists to be fully aware of the social environment of patients when providing assistance in relation to medication or pharmaceutical control for diabetes.
