Association of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program participation duration with cost-related medication non-adherence and emergency department visits.

Abstract

Administrative requirements could disrupt sustained Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participation among income-eligible individuals. To meet their food needs, low-income individuals without consistent SNAP benefits may compromise on medication use, posing a risk to their health. The objective of this study is to examine the association of SNAP participation duration in a given year with cost-related medication nonadherence (CRN) and emergency department (ED) use in income-eligible individuals. Cross-sectional. Non-elderly and elderly adults who used prescription medications and participated in SNAP the previous year in 2016-2018 National Health Interview Survey. Subsamples included individuals with specific chronic conditions. CRN and ED usage. SNAP participation for<12 months in the previous year was related to increased CRN and ED use in nonelderly adults taking prescription medication, as well as in those with hypertension, cardiovascular disease and asthma. Further, <12-month SNAP participation was associated with greater odds of having at least one ED visit in nonelderly and elderly adults. Sustained SNAP participation could help income-eligible individuals better adhere to their prescribed medications and reduce health complications requiring ED visits. Findings suggest the importance of addressing SNAP participation gaps among income-eligible individuals in health care settings.