US Veterans Use Vitamins and Supplements as Substitutes for Prescription Medication

Abstract

Medication substitution is prevalent in this sample of inner city primary care patients who receive care in the VA system. Cost of prescriptions and belief in the value of complementary and alternative approaches to care appear to be associated with this patient-driven treatment decision.

“Implications of cost-sharing for observation care among Medicare beneficiaries: a pilot survey”

“…However it is still unclear how the cost-sharing itself may impact future behavior. In the outpatient setting, prior work has demonstrated that low-income patients are more likely to defer, delay or ration care if their cost-sharing responsibilities increase [11, 12, 16]. This may be associated with higher hospital utilization [12].…”

“…In the context of our limited study, we found that low-income beneficiaries were more likely to express concern about the cost of their hospital stay and were more likely to consider outpatient work up or leaving AMA if hospitalized under observation status in the future compared to higher-income beneficiaries. We also found that many beneficiaries already ration health care services, a sign of significant financial strain [11, 12, 16]. As observation hospitalizations continue to rise, it will be important to proactively identify and support beneficiaries at risk for significant health care cost burden.…”

Nutraceutical-based Integrative Medicine: Adopting a Mediterranean Diet Pyramid for Attaining Healthy Ageing in Veterans with Disabilities

“…The use and self-prescription of nutritional supplements and herbal extracts are common in veterans [86][87][88]. In addition to the risk of medication substitution [87], it has been reported that veterans with dementia and/or depression who used herbal products were also taking potentially interacting drugs [89].…”

Impact of a Formulation Containing Unusual Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids, Trace Elements, Polyphenols and Plant Sterols on Insulin Resistance and Associated Disturbances

“…Nonpharmacologic interventions in addition to diet and exercise may be useful tools to prevent the negative consequences of insulin resistance. In the USA, people tend to use vitamins and supplements along with their prescribed medicines; in fact, about 18% of the population substitutes medications with supplements [7]. The most frequently reported reasons for preferring supplements are cost and personal beliefs about their benefits [7].…”

“…In the USA, people tend to use vitamins and supplements along with their prescribed medicines; in fact, about 18% of the population substitutes medications with supplements [7]. The most frequently reported reasons for preferring supplements are cost and personal beliefs about their benefits [7]. A large proportion of the general public perceives nonpharmacologic alternatives as more holistic [8], safer and more effective than medications [9].…”