BACKGROUND
Filling a prescription online has become an alternative to in-person pharmacies for patients to access their medications. However, adoption of online filling has been gradual and use patterns remain unclear.
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to estimate the trend and prevalence of online prescription filling behavior and identify factors associated with the behavior of filling a prescription online among adults in the United States (U.S.).
METHODS
We used data from the U.S. National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), spanning the years from 2009 to 2018. Filling a prescription online was defined as adult respondents (aged 18 and over) self-reported whether they had ever filled a prescription on the internet in the past 12 months during the survey year. We reported trends using weighted percentages adjusted by the NHIS complex sampling design. We used descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression models to examine trends and identify factors associated with online prescription filling behavior.
RESULTS
The number of adults reporting online prescription filling behavior significantly increased from 13,319,877 (5.9%) in 2009 to 28,308,262 (11.5%) in 2018. Those who were more likely to report filling a prescription online were aged 35-74, female, white, frequent users of the computer or internet, and reported higher education, higher income, insurance coverage, and poorer health status.
CONCLUSIONS
Online prescription filling behavior among U.S. adults has increased significantly from 2009 to 2018. Health care providers should be aware of the upward trend in the use of online pharmacies and ensure the safety of medication use from online prescriptions.
Health Care Providers' Advice to Quit Smoking, National Health Interview Survey, 2000, 2005, and 2010