OBJECTIVES

As the cost of treatment increases, patients are likely to have growing concerns about treatment affordability. Patients that have both a high degree of concern about treatment costs and low satisfaction with overall treatment may be more open to switching to a cost-effective treatment alternative. This study examines overall treatment satisfaction and concern about treatment costs for patients undergoing drug treatment in Japan for 78 conditions.

METHODS

Data from the 2019 APM study was used to examine overall treatment satisfaction and concern about treatment costs in Japan. The APM study is a nationwide patient survey conducted annually in Japan among 500,000+ patients undergoing drug treatment for 80+ conditions.

RESULTS

About 554,500 responses were reviewed for patients undergoing drug treatment. Patients reported being treated for 78 conditions overall. Those undergoing drug treatments for ADHD, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), uterine fibroids, COPD, nicotine addiction, AMD, psoriasis, migraines, and depression reported a lower overall treatment satisfaction and a higher degree of concern about treatment costs compared to other patient groups. In contrast, those undergoing drug treatments for acute infections like cystitis / urethritis, allergic conjunctivitis, gastritis, the common cold, tonsillitis, or certain chronic conditions like GERD, gout / hyperuricemia, and hypertension, reported a higher overall treatment satisfaction and a lower degree of concern about treatment costs.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients that feel their treatment costs are high yet are dissatisfied with their overall treatment may be more open to switching to a newer, more cost-effective treatment alternative. Findings from this study suggest that Japanese patients undergoing drug treatment for conditions like ADHD, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), uterine fibroids, COPD, nicotine addiction, AMD, psoriasis, migraines, and depression, for example, may be more open to switching to a more cost-effective treatment alternative.