BACKGROUND Insufficient social security combined with family structure changes has resulted in a poverty of the elderly. The objective of this study was to examine an association of living arrangements of the elderly with chronic disease prevalence and prescription drug use. METHODS 2008 Korea Health Panel Survey (KHPS) data were used in this study. Information on living arrangements, socio-d...

Background: The prevalence of Nonmedical prescription drug (NMPD) use, which is defined as using prescription drugs without a doctor’s prescription, is increasing among youth. The present study examined Nonmedical prescription drug (NMPD) use among Multiracial students in 7 through 12 grades. Method: A total of 2,134 students completed the PRIDE Questionnaire, which examines alcohol and drug us...

Drug pricing in the U.S. is a persistently vexing policy problem. Budgeteers, consumers and payers are all stressed by the pressures of high drug prices. At the same time, the public demands new and better cures. The pharmaceutical industry insists that delivering new treatment and cures requires compensation for the high costs and risks entailed in development of new drug products. There is su...

This paper updates a June 2002 National Health Policy Forum Issue Brief, "Average Wholesale Price for Prescription Drugs: Is There a More Appropriate Pricing Mechanism?" Since the release of that paper, Congress enacted the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act (MMA) of 2003, which created a new, comprehensive outpatient prescription drug benefit and reduced Medicare's ...