More than 16% of insulin users report insulin rationing in the past year, according to a research letter published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Adam Gaffney, MD, MPH, and colleagues examined the prevalence and correlates of insulin rationing using data from the 2021 National Health Interview Survey. The prevalence of rationing was
estimated by diabetes type and according to seven sociodemographic characteristics. The sample included 982 insulin users with diabetes. Among insulin users, 16.5% rationed insulin in the past year, corresponding to 1.3 million adults with diabetes nationwide. Delaying purchase was the most common form of rationing (14.2%). Taking
less than needed was most common among those with T1D (16.5%) and less common among those with T2D (9.5%). Variation in insulin rationing was seen among subgroups, for example, 11.2% of those aged 65 and older and 20.4% of younger persons rationed insulin. Rationing was reported by 10.8%, 19.8%, and 14.6% of higher income, middle-income, and low-income persons, respectively.
