Prescription medication borrowing and sharing--risk factors and management.
BACKGROUND
Prescription medication borrowing and sharing is a behaviour that has been identified in patients of all ages. This behaviour is recognised by medical researchers and government health authorities as a potential risk factor in adverse drug events across the community.


OBJECTIVE
This article discusses prescription medication borrowing and sharing and identifies populations more likely to participate in this behaviour. It also focuses on the classes of drugs identified in the research literature as those being more likely to be borrowed or shared.


CONCLUSIONS
Prescription medication borrowing and sharing behaviours have been associated with several risk factors such as polypharmacy and multiple chronic comorbidities. General practitioners and health professionals are therefore encouraged to counsel patients, at the time of issuing prescriptions and following discharge from hospital, on the risks of borrowing and sharing prescription medications and the safe disposal of 'left over' prescription medications.
Ellis
Janette
J
School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences, University of Wollongong, New South Wales. jce840@uow.edu.au
Mullan
Judy
J
D000368:Aged; D001315:Australia; D005194:Family Practice; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D055553:Prescription Drugs; D012307:Risk Factors; D012651:Self Medication
D055553:Prescription Drugs