Tammy Zundel, Utah Valley University
Social and Behavioral Sciences
Eosinophilic gastrointestinal diseases (EGID’s) are a family of digestive disorders that affects a patient’s physical, mental and social well-being. Because some patients are forced to eliminate all foods from their diet, many patients miss out on holiday meals, birthday cakes, and other social events. Patients with severe cases may depend on steroids and the strict use of medical nutrition therapy, such as elemental formula. Elemental formula describes a liquid diet that contains all the necessary nutrients for a complete diet made up of proteins broken down into their amino acid form, making it easier for the body to digest and absorb. Though elemental formula literally saves lives and is the most effective treatment used for those who have failed other treatment options, insurance companies are not required to cover its high costs. Families without insurance coverage are left struggling to pay for this prescribed treatment out-of-pocket. The purpose of this mixed methods study is to explore the financial and emotional costs associated with not having access to a prescribed treatment. Data was collected during an in person interview and the administration of a survey containing standard demographic questions related to age, gender, marriage, income, work status, and education level. Also included were closed-ended questions related to the patient’s diagnosis, elemental formula use, and amount of money spent out of pocket for non-covered medical needs. Several open-ended questions focusing on the financial and emotional impact associated with not having access to elemental formula as a prescribed treatment were included. The results will be used to educate health care providers and promote further research into the issue.