Lee SuHak, Schommer Jon C
College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota, 308 Harvard Street, S.E., Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
Pharmacy (Basel). 2022 Feb 9;10(1):27. doi: 10.3390/pharmacy10010027.
Medications stored in US households may pose risks to vulnerable populations and the environment, potentially increasing societal costs. Research regarding these aspects is scant, and interventions like medication reuse may alleviate negative consequences. The purpose of this study was to describe medications stored in US households, gauge their potential risk to minors (under 18 years of age), pets, and the environment, and estimate potential costs of unused medications.
A survey of 220 US Qualtrics panel members was completed regarding medications stored at home. Published literature guided data coding for risks to minors, pets, and the environment and for estimating potential costs of unused medications.
Of the 192 households who provided usable and complete data, 154 (80%) reported storing a medication at home. Most medications were taken daily for chronic diseases. The majority of households with residents or guests who are minors and those with pets reported storing medications with a high risk of poisoning in easily accessible areas such as counters. Regarding risk to the aquatic environment, 46% of the medications had published data regarding this risk. For those with published data, 42% presented a level of significant risk to the aquatic environment. Unused medications stored at home had an estimated potential cost of $98 million at a national level. Implications/Conclusions: Medications stored at home may pose risks to vulnerable populations and the environment. More research regarding medications stored in households and their risks is required to develop innovative interventions such as medication reuse to prevent any potential harm.
美国家庭中储存的药物可能对弱势群体和环境构成风险，潜在地增加社会成本。关于这些方面的研究很少，而药物再利用等干预措施可能减轻负面影响。本研究的目的是描述美国家庭中储存的药物，评估其对未成年人（18岁以下）、宠物和环境的潜在风险，并估计未使用药物的潜在成本。
对220名美国Qualtrics面板成员进行了一项关于家中储存药物的调查。已发表的文献指导了对未成年人、宠物和环境风险以及估计未使用药物潜在成本的数据编码。
在提供可用且完整数据的192户家庭中，154户（80%）报告家中储存有药物。大多数药物是用于慢性病的每日服用药物。大多数有未成年人居民或访客的家庭以及有宠物的家庭报告称，在柜台等容易拿到的地方储存有高中毒风险的药物。关于对水生环境的风险，46%的药物有关于此风险的已发表数据。对于有已发表数据的药物，42%对水生环境呈现出显著风险水平。在家中储存的未使用药物在全国范围内估计潜在成本为9800万美元。影响/结论：家中储存的药物可能对弱势群体和环境构成风险。需要更多关于家庭中储存的药物及其风险的研究，以开发诸如药物再利用等创新干预措施，防止任何潜在危害。
