PDF(Pubmed)
Abstract：
Introduction The environment, healthcare services, and public safety can all be directly impacted by improper drug storage and disposal practices. It is unknown whether parents store drugs at home in accordance with recommended storage guidelines, despite the fact that storage conditions are strictly regulated and monitored at every stage of the drug supply chain prior to drug dispensing. Therefore, it is crucial to dispose of medications properly and store them at home to avoid the consequences. Aim The purpose of this study was to evaluate the drug storage safety measures used by parents to prevent unintentional drug poisoning in children. Methodology A structured questionnaire was used to conduct a cross-sectional, interview-based study on home medication storage, attitudes, and disposal practices between October 2023 and January 2024. We recruited parents who visited primary healthcare centers or pediatric clinics using a convenience sampling technique. Results All of the 353 returned questionnaires were valid for data entry and analysis. The mean age of the parents was 35.1 ± 11.9 years old and more than half of them 229 (64.9%) have bachelor\'s degrees. The majority of drugs (271, 88.6%) were stored in the fridge, followed by bedrooms (26.8%). The medication classes that were stored the most frequently were analgesics (92.2%) and antihistamines (62.1%). The majority of parents (214, 69.9%) kept medications above adult eye level, even though only 28% did not keep them in safe and secure locations like locked drawers or boxes. Eighty percent (80%) disposed of unwanted medicines by throwing them in the trash, and only 10 (2.8%) returned them to the pharmacy. Conclusions Drug storage at home encourages self-medication, which has a number of negative effects. Over time, there has been an increase in the use of medications due to a rise in people\'s health-seeking awareness and behavior on a global scale. Therefore, this study may be used as a guide by national policy-makers for pharmaceutical disposal and storage management. Moreover, it might help in raising public awareness of the importance of pharmacists in the society and the safe handling and storage of medications at home.
摘要：
介绍环境,医疗保健服务,和公共安全都可能受到不当药物储存和处置做法的直接影响。目前尚不清楚家长是否按照推荐的储存指引在家中储存药物,尽管在药物分配之前，在药物供应链的每个阶段都对储存条件进行了严格的监管和监控。因此,妥善处理药物并将其存放在家中以避免后果至关重要。目的本研究的目的是评估父母使用的药物储存安全措施，以防止儿童无意中的药物中毒。方法采用结构化问卷进行横断面调查，基于访谈的家庭药物储存研究，态度，和2023年10月至2024年1月之间的处置实践。我们招募了使用便利采样技术访问初级保健中心或儿科诊所的父母。结果353份问卷均为有效的数据输入和分析问卷。父母的平均年龄为35.1±11.9岁，其中一半以上的229（64.9％）具有学士学位。大部分药物(271,88.6%)储存在冰箱里,其次是卧室(26.8%)。储存最频繁的药物类别是镇痛药(92.2%)和抗组胺药(62.1%)。大多数父母（214，69.9％）将药物保持在成人眼睛水平以上，即使只有28%的人没有把它们放在安全的地方，比如锁着的抽屉或盒子。百分之八十（80％）将不需要的药物扔进垃圾桶，只有10人(2.8%)将他们送回药房。结论在家中储存药物鼓励自我药疗，有许多负面影响。随着时间的推移,在全球范围内，由于人们寻求健康的意识和行为的增加，药物的使用有所增加。因此,这项研究可以被国家政策制定者用作药品处置和储存管理的指南。此外，这可能有助于提高公众对药剂师在社会中的重要性以及在家中安全处理和储存药物的认识。
