Pharmaceutical access and use during the pandemic

This study examines Canadians’ access to and use of pharmaceuticals using data from the 2021 Survey on Access to Health Care and Pharmaceuticals During the Pandemic, collected from March to May 2021. First, it examines the proportion and characteristics of Canadians who reported not having prescription insurance to cover medication costs, as well as those who reported that their prescription insurance was affected by the pandemic. Next, medication use, out-of-pocket spending on prescription medication, and non-adherence to prescription medication because of cost were examined. Analyses are presented across province, immigration status, and racialized groups, among other sociodemographic variables, and thus offers insight into potential inequities in access to pharmaceuticals in Canada.