Access to Crohn's Medication in Rural Areas
- Vanessa Nagy
- Nov 25, 2024
- 2 min read
Crohn's disease is a chronic condition where the digestive tract becomes swollen and irritated. Many people with this disease experience diarrhea, weight loss and rectal bleeding. Though effective treatments that can significantly improve quality of life exist, access to these treatments is not equal for everyone. Patients in rural areas often face great barriers when trying to get access to medications and specialized treatments.
Remote locations are often referred to as “pharmacy desserts” — areas with limited access to pharmacies. As such, patients with Crohn’s struggle to find medications needed to manage their symptoms, like corticosteroids or 5-aminosalicylates. Even if pharmacies do exist in these regions, they are often understocked, leading to lapses in long-term treatments due to shortage of medications.
In these locations, there is also a shortage of healthcare facilities with gastroenterologists that can support these patients. These facilities also usually lack necessary tools for patients needing biologic therapies that use intravenous medications. This scarcity forces patients to travel long distances to obtain their necessary care, often adding a layer of financial and time burden. Many patients in these areas don’t have the opportunity to visit urban centers, worsening their symptoms overtime.
However, the development of telemedicine has improved some factors. People with Crohn’s disease can often manage their healthcare through virtual appointments. Especially after the coronavirus pandemic, there have been instrumental improvements to video and phone services for telemedicine. But even with these advancements, there is still a glaring lack of access for rural communities to proper management of their condition.
Although there have been many scientific advancements made to improve the quality of life for those with Crohn’s disease, it remains a pressing issue that is affecting more and more populations. The occurrence rate has been on a study rise over the past few years, with an increase of 1.23% per year for children.
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