Demographic and socioeconomic characteristics associated with expired medications in households_
| Variable | Households with no expired medications | Households with expired medications | p |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family size | 2.7±1.2 | 3.0±1.1 | 0.002 |
| Gender | 0.963 | ||
| male | 43 (20.1%) | 34 (20.0%) | |
| female | 170 (79.9%) | 136 (80%) | |
| Elderly ≥65 | 0.094 | ||
| years | |||
| no | 183 (85.9%) | 156 (91.8%) | |
| yes | 30 (14.1%) | 14 (8.2%) | |
| Education | 0.007 | ||
| elementary school | 18 (8.4%) | 9 (5.3%) | |
| secondary school | 103 (48.3%) | 66 (38.8%) | |
| junior college | 15 (7.1%) | 10 (5.9%) | |
| degree | 77 (36.3%) | 85 (50.0%) | |
| Occupation | 0.088 | ||
| employed | 106 (49.7%) | 107 (62.9%) | |
| unemployed | 39 (18.3%) | 23 (13.5%) | |
| student | 12 (5.6%) | 6 (53.5%) | |
| retiree | 56 (26.3%) | 34 (20.0%) | |
| Children ≤12 | 0.019 | ||
| years | |||
| yes | 64 (30.0%) | 71 (41.8%) | |
| no | 149 (70.0%) | 99 (58.2%) |
ATC therapeutic categories (level II) of expired medications_
| ATC | Therapeutic groups | N | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| J01 | Antibacterials for systemic use | 66 | 16.4 |
| M01 | Anti-inflammatory and antirheumatic products | 35 | 8.7 |
| N02 | Analgesics | 31 | 7.7 |
| D07 | Corticosteroids, dermatological preparations | 25 | 6.2 |
| D06 | Antibiotics and chemotherapeutics, dermatological | 24 | 6.0 |
| R01 | Nasal preparations | 22 | 5.5 |
| A07 | Antidiarrheals, intestinal antiinflammatory/anti-infective agents | 17 | 4.2 |
| R05 | Cough and cold preparations | 13 | 3.2 |
| S01 | Ophthalmologicals | 12 | 3.0 |
| A03 | Drugs for functional gastrointestinal disorders | 11 | 2.7 |
| B03 | Antianemic preparations | 11 | 2.7 |
| A02 | Drugs for acid related disorders | 11 | 2.7 |
| Other | 278 | 69.0 | |
| Total | 402 | 100.0 |
Dosage forms of expired medications_
| ATC | N | % |
|---|---|---|
| J-anti-infectives for systemic use | 67 | 16.7 |
| D-dermatologicals | 64 | 15.9 |
| A-alimentary tract and metabolism | 57 | 14.2 |
| M-musculo-sceletal system | 48 | 11.9 |
| R-respiratory system | 46 | 11.4 |
| N-nervous system | 44 | 10.9 |
| C-cardiovascular system | 27 | 6.7 |
| S-sensory organs | 18 | 4.5 |
| B-blood and blood forming organs | 15 | 3.7 |
| G-genito-urinary system and sex hormones | 13 | 3.2 |
| H-systemic hormonal preparations, excluding sex hormones and insulins | 2 | 0.5 |
| P-anti-parasitic products, insecticides and repellents | 1 | 0.2 |
| L-antineoplastic and immunomodulating agents | 0 | 0 |
| Grand Total | 402 | 100 |
Participants’ responses to the question related to expired medications and their disposal_
| The availability of expired medications to children | N | % |
|---|---|---|
| yes | 91 | 69.6 |
| no | 41 | 30.4 |
| total | 132 | 100.0 |
| In your opinion, can medicationsbe used after the expiration date? | N | % |
| yes | 10 | 2.6 |
| yes, 6 month after the expiration date | 78 | 20.4 |
| no | 288 | 75.2 |
| don’t know | 7 | 1.8 |
| Do you think that disposal of expired medication into the garbage has detrimental effects on the environment? | N | % |
| yes | 254 | 66.3 |
| no | 52 | 13.6 |
| don’t know | 77 | 20.1 |
| How do you currently dispose of expired medications? | N | % |
| into the garbage | 317 | 82.8 |
| flush down the toilet or sink | 11 | 2.9 |
| return to pharmacy | 17 | 4.4 |
| store | 3 | 0.8 |
| burn | 7 | 1.8 |
| always use till the end | 28 | 7.3 |
| total | 383 | 100.0 |