Self-medication and health insurance coverage in Mexico
Pagán, Jé.A.; Ross, S.; Yau, J.; Polsky, D.
Health Policy 75(2): 170-177
2006
ISSN/ISBN: 0168-8510 PMID: 16338480 DOI: 10.1016/j.healthpol.2005.03.007Document Number: 534467
Self-medication is a common practice in many developing countries but little is known about its determinants. This study analyzes the factors that are associated with the use of self-medication in Mexico using the Mexican Health and Aging Study, a new nationally representative survey on adults aged 50 and over. We find that self-medication is related to socioeconomic status and the lack of access to professional healthcare. Our empirical results suggest that lack of government-sponsored health insurance coverage increases the propensity to self-medicate. A 10% increase in the proportion of adults with health insurance coverage could decrease the use of pharmacy consultations by .8% for public sector workers and by 1.7% for private sector workers. Increasing health insurance coverage could reduce the demand for self-medication by making healthcare more affordable and by changing the population perceptions about the benefits of modern medicine.
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