Medication Use and Storage, and Their Potential Risks in US Households

Awareness of the appropriate handling and disposal of unused medicines in Jordan: a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to investigate public storage and disposal practices of unused medicine and their perception of the role of Jordanian authorities' responsibility for disposing of unused medicines.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study was conducted over 3 weeks (February to March 2022). Data were collected online using a convenient sampling technique from 681 Jordanian population who agreed to participate.

KEY FINDINGS

Around 73% (n = 495) of the participants reported storing unused medicines in the medicine cabinets at home, with 15.7% (n = 107) storing unused medicine in the kitchen and 15.3% (n = 104) in the bedroom. Findings showed that 28.0% (n = 191) disposed of unused medicines in the household rubbish, 22.6% (n = 154) shared them with anyone who needed them, or 19.8% (n = 135) with family and friends. Only a few participants return their unused medicine to the pharmacies 10% (n = 68), hospitals 6.3% (n = 43), and healthcare clinics 5.9% (n = 40).

CONCLUSION

The findings indicate that Jordanian participants have become more aware of proper practices for storing and disposing of unused medicines compared to the previous Jordan studies. However, factors influencing their behaviour regarding disposal practices of unused medicines are yet to be further studied. A Jordanian disposal scheme for unused medicines should be developed to help people return them to pharmacies, hospitals, and healthcare clinics.

Storage practice and wastage of pharmaceuticals in Chinese urban-dwelling households: Description of urban-dwelling households

At-home storage of medications could pose a threat to public health and the environment if not handled appropriately. Excessive storage also creates health care and economic burdens. This study investigated storage practices, waste, and their determinants in China. Data were collected by pharmacy staff of urban-dwelling households via online questionnaires. Descriptions at the household and medicine levels were conducted in Stata 16. Individual and family characteristics were associated with the presence of household medicine storage (84.6%, n = 5290), but storage location was poor. Expiration was the primary reason for discarding medicines. Respondents were inclined to buy medicines in pharmacies without prescription for storage purposes at out-of-pocket expenses, and 60.7% of medicines were purchased at out-of-pocket expenses, despite medical insurance coverage. Regarding wastage, 11.2% of medicines had expired and 38.2% were no longer needed. Purchasing for storage purposes was related to less waste due to expiration, while purchasing for treating acute diseases rather than chronic diseases was related to more waste, due to less for use. Accounting for 12.2% of all medications, antibiotics were associated with expiration and no further need for use. Source-control measures targeting health facilities, pharmacies, and residents are needed under the combined efforts of all relevant departments.

Nurse delivered medication safety screening program for home care visits

Home care clients have safety barriers related to medication storage, disposal, and safe use of opioids. Limited research is available regarding medication safety initiatives in the home care setting. This study evaluates a medication safety initiative, linked with opioid misuse and overdose prevention screening, for home care clients with different levels of service. Training and screening tools designed for community pharmacies by the Opioid & Naloxone Education (ONE) Program were modified for use by home health nurses. All new admits to the home health services were screened for medication storage, medication disposal, and use of pain medications. Patients taking opioids were screened for opioid-specific risks. Interventions based on screening results included education, provision of medication lock boxes, drug disposal packets, and/or naloxone. Most home care clients (85%) are properly storing their medication and 38% were not properly disposing unused medications. Higher levels of care had greater pain medication needs, including the provision of naloxone. This study demonstrates the opportunity to incorporate medication safety screening into nursing home health visits.