OBJECTIVES:

The Economic Adjustment Programmes included a series of measures to restrict excess public pharmaceutical spending in Greece. Many of these statutes shifted the burden of pharmaceutical care on health consumers, who were already strained by the adverse economic environment. The aim of this study was to assess unmet pharmaceutical needs during the economic crisis in Greece.

METHODS:

A cross-sectional, observational survey was conducted in the population (aged 15 years and over) of Attika Region with a stratified quota sampling in 2014-2015. A representative sample of 2.851 individuals provided data concerning sociodemographics, health status and healthcare utilisation. Univariate associations were explored with the chi-square test and the uncertainty coefficient for nominal and ordinal independent variables, respectively.

RESULTS: CONCLUSIONS:

The double financial burden imposed on health consumers by the economic crisis and the new cost-sharing strategies create economic barriers to pharmaceutical treatment. Special policy concern should be placed on the protection of the most vulnerable socioeconomic groups. Also, the encouragement of prescribing and dispensing generic drugs and improving the knowledge of consumers about their effectiveness, safety and efficacy may facilitate the overall access to adequate and quality pharmaceutical care.