| Abstract [eng] |
Greta Marija Čugunovaitė. The Financial Availability of Medicines for Children; Master's Thesis/Supervisor Doc. dr. Sigita Burokiene; Vilnius University, Faculty of Medicine; Centre for Pharmacy and Pharmacology - Vilnius. Aim of the thesis. To evaluate the opinions and experiences of parents attending the Children’s Outpatient Clinic and the Children’s Emergency Department of Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Clinics regarding the financial accessibility of medicines for children. Tasks of the thesis. 1. To identify the difficulties faced by parents (guardians) when purchasing medicines for children. 2. To assess how the prices of medicines for children influence parents‘ (guardians)‘ decisions related to appropriate treatment and medicine use. 3. To evaluate parents‘ (guardians)‘ opinions on the affordability of medicines for children in Lithuania. Methods. A descriptive cross-sectional quantitative study was conducted using an anonymous questionnaire survey. The aim was to evaluate parents’/guardians’ attitudes toward the affordability of medicines for children, identify the main barriers they face when purchasing medicines, and assess how medicine prices influence decisions related to proper treatment and medicine use. The study was carried out in January–February 2026. Questionnaires were distributed to parents/guardians visiting the Children’s Emergency Department and the Children’s Outpatient Clinic of Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Clinics due to children’s health issues. Results. A total of 391 respondents participated in the study. The majority of respondents (80.3%) indicated that the most recently prescribed medicines for their child were not reimbursed. The most common expenditure per purchase was 11–20 € (43.6 %) or 21–50 € (42.0 %), while annual spending was most often 51–100 € (32.6 %) or 101–200 € (28.4 %). More than half of respondents (61.4 %) reported that medicine prices at least partially burden the family budget, and 7.9 % stated that they had to delay or forgo purchasing medicines due to cost. Financial burden was more common among lower-income groups: in the ≤ 2000 € income group, 68.1 % reported such burden, whereas in the > 3000 € group, 50.5 % indicated that medicine costs did not strain their budget. Respondents perceived the role of the state in ensuring access to medicines for children as limited: only 9.2 % believed the system adequately addresses this issue, 40.2 % said it does so partially, and 28.1 % considered it insufficient. Among respondents experiencing the highest financial burden, as many as 66.7 % reported insufficient government attention. Conclusions. 1. Parents (guardians) face various difficulties when purchasing medicines for children. Accessibility is limited not only by price but also by physical availability (medicine shortages in pharmacies), as well as additional costs related to acquiring medicines (travel, parking). Some parents are forced to seek cheaper alternatives, visit different pharmacies, or delay purchasing medicines. 2. The prices of medicines for children have a significant impact on parents’ (guardians’) decisions regarding treatment and medicine use. As the frequency of medicine use increases, so does the financial burden on families, and some parents change their choice of medicines or look for cheaper alternatives due to cost. 3. Parents' (guardians') opinion about the affordability of children's medicines in Lithuania is negative. Most respondents consider the prices of medicines to be high and indicate that they can complicate children's treatment and influence decisions about purchasing medicines. |
