Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36346577›Full record

ArticleJournal of cancer survivorship : research and practice2023

Polypharmacy and medication fill nonadherence in a population-based sample of adolescent and young adult cancer survivors, 2008-2017.

Andrea C Betts, Caitlin C Murphy, L Aubree Shay, Bijal A Balasubramanian, Christine Markham, Michael E Roth, Marlyn Allicock

Open access · greenAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of cancer survivorship : research and practice, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
0.9field-weighted citation impact, top 26% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 5 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Polypharmacy Drift after Cancer: When Survivorship Becomes a Repeat Prescription.Journal of cancer education : the official journal of the American Association for Cancer Education · 2026
    Article
  2. Patterns of medication use following breast cancer diagnosis: an Australian population-based study.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2025
    Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Andrea C BettsDepartment of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) School of Public Health, Dallas, TX, USA. Andrea.C.Betts@uth.tmc.edu.
Caitlin C MurphyDepartment of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, UTHealth School of Public Health, Houston, TX, USA.
L Aubree ShayDepartment of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, UTHealth School of Public Health, San Antonio, TX, USA.
Bijal A BalasubramanianDepartment of Epidemiology, Human Genetics, and Environmental Sciences, UTHealth School of Public Health, Dallas, TX, USA.
Christine MarkhamDepartment of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, UTHealth School of Public Health, Houston, TX, USA.
Michael E RothDivision of Pediatrics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Marlyn AllicockDepartment of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) School of Public Health, Dallas, TX, USA.
The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston · USUniversity of Texas Health Science Center at Dallas · USThe University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center · US

Funding

Cancer Prevention and Control Research Training and Career Development ProgramT32CA057712 · NCI · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HLTH SCI CTR HOUSTON · PI Bijal A. Balasubramanian, Maria Eulalia Fernandez · 2018 to 2026
$3.2M
NCI NIH HHS T32 CA057712
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeWe examined the association between polypharmacy-an established risk factor for nonadherence in the elderly-and medication fill nonadherence in a large national sample of adolescent and young adult cancer survivors (AYAs) in the USA.

methodsWe pooled data (2008-2017) from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. We defined polypharmacy as ≥ 3 unique medications prescribed, based on self-report and pharmacy data, and medication fill nonadherence as self-reported delay or inability to obtain a necessary medication. We estimated prevalence of medication fill nonadherence among AYAs (age 18-39 years with a cancer history). We used logistic regression to estimate the association between (1) polypharmacy and medication fill nonadherence in AYAs, and (2) total number of medications prescribed and medication fill nonadherence, controlling for sex, number of chronic conditions, disability, and survey year.

resultsAYAs (n = 598) were predominantly female (76.2%), age 30-39 years (64.9%), and non-Hispanic White (72.1%). Nearly half were poor (19.0%) or near-poor/low income (21.6%). One in ten AYAs reported medication fill nonadherence (9.75%). Of these, more than 70% cited cost-related barriers as the reason. AYAs with polypharmacy had 2.49 times higher odds of medication fill nonadherence (95%CI 1.11-5.59), compared to those without polypharmacy. Odds of medication fill nonadherence increased by 16% with each additional medication prescribed (AOR 1.16, 95% CI 1.07-1.25).

conclusionsPolypharmacy may be an important risk factor for medication fill nonadherence in AYAs in the USA. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: Improving AYAs' medication adherence requires eliminating cost-related barriers, particularly for those with polypharmacy.

Indexed as

Cancer SurvivorsNeoplasmsAdolescentAdultAgedFemaleHumansMaleMedication AdherencePolypharmacySelf ReportSurveys and QuestionnairesYoung AdultAdolescent and young adult cancerCancer survivorsMedication adherencePolypharmacyPrescription drugs

Identifiers

PMID36346577
PMCPMC10164839
OpenAlexW4308548603

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.