Abstract
Background
The storage of expired medications at home can cause potential damage to human health and the environment. Thus, studies that support intervention policies to minimize risks are essential.
Objective
To estimate the prevalence and factors associated with storage of expired medications at home.
Method
The cross-sectional study was conducted through interviews in the homes of Primary Health Care (PHC) users of a city in the center-west of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Prevalence estimates and their associations were performed using generalized linear models (MLGs).
Results
We found 4,203 medications stored in 423 homes, with an average of 10 medication/residence (SD=5.87). The prevalence of homes with expired medications was 45.4%, with antimicrobials and analgesics being the most prevalent. The presence of expired medications is associated with the presence of Over the Counter drugs (OTC) and antimicrobials at homes, and the behavior of keeping the unused drug in their home pharmacy.
Conclusion
Almost half of the homes have expired medications. And the presence of these drugs is associated with the therapeutic class and the behavior of the PHC user.
Keywords:
drug storage; pharmacoepidemiology; medication expiration; unified health system