Prevalence and risk factors of inadequate medicine home storage: a community-based study

Authors

  • Rand Randall Martins Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte. Faculdade de Farmácia. Departamento de Farmácia
  • Andreza Duarte Farias Universidade Federal de Campina Grande. Unidade de Saúde, Centro de Educação e Saúde
  • Yonara Monique da Costa Oliveira Universidade Federal de Campina Grande. Unidade de Saúde, Centro de Educação e Saúde
  • Rodrigo dos Santos Diniz Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte. Faculdade de Farmácia. Departamento de Farmácia
  • Antonio Gouveia Oliveira Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte. Faculdade de Farmácia. Departamento de Farmácia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.11606/S1518-8787.2017051000053

Keywords:

Patient Medication Knowledge. Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice. Drug Utilization. Drug Storage. Patient Education as Topic. Drug Information Services.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Assess the extent of inadequate home storage of medicines andidentify important risk factors. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey based on a probability sample in the community, conducted in 267 households in Cuité, State of Paraíba, Northeast Brazil, in 2014. Logistic regression was used to study the risk factors. RESULTS: The prevalence of households with inadequate storage was 76.0%. Problems with storage include direct exposure to sunlight in 10.9% of households, the presence of dust in 23.6%, and storage within reach of children in 76.0%. Medications no longer used are usually disposed of into the environment in 92.1% of households. Inadequate storage is more likely when home organization of medications is the responsibility of a male subject (OR = 1.729) or an older person (OR = 1.029), when out of date medicines are found (OR = 2.963), and in households with no children (OR = 2.088). CONCLUSIONS: Physicians and pharmacists should advise patients on how to adequately store medicines at home, especially when the person in charge of medications is a male or an older adult, and if there are no children in the household.

Published

2017-11-24

Issue

Section

Original Articles

How to Cite

Prevalence and risk factors of inadequate medicine home storage: a community-based study. (2017). Revista De Saúde Pública, 51, 95. https://doi.org/10.11606/S1518-8787.2017051000053