Patient Reported Medication Disposal Behaviors and Perceptions

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether perceptions of drug disposal among patients are driven by environmental concerns or medication diversion, to determine the preferred method of medication disposal, and to identify related demographic characteristics. METHODS: This was a descriptive cross sectional study. The primary dependent variable is patients' perception of medication disposal. The secondary dependent variables include the impact of income and the preferred method of disposal. Demographic variables include age, medication use, education level, gender, and average household income. RESULTS: The paper survey was completed by 86 patients. Overall, study participants were more concerned with environmental concerns (69.6%, p<0.001) rather than with medication diversion (11.4%) or convenience (19.0%). In the disposal of medications, study participants preferred dropping off medications at a pharmacy (43.8%, p<0.001) to disposing medications at a secure drop off point (17.2%) , crushing medications into coffee grounds (28.9%), or mailing medications to a secure federal collection site (10.2%). Income level of the participants had no impact on their perception of drug disposal or preferred method of medication disposal. CONCLUSION: Patients' perception of drug disposal is more related to environmental concerns than with medication diversion or convenience. Patients' preferred method of medication disposal was pharmacy drop-off as opposed to driving to a secure medication drop off point, crushing medications into coffee grounds, or mailing medications to a secure federal site.