title: A household survey on the extent of home medication storage. A cross-sectional study from rural Crete, Greece.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients often have multiple chronic diseases, use multiple prescriptions and over the counter medications resulting in polypharmacy. Many of them store these medications for future use in their homes, rather than take them as directed by their physician, resulting in a waste of health care resources, and potentially dangerous misuse.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to investigate the magnitude of medication home hoarding, the exchange of medication with family/friends, families' beliefs about the medication use, source of medication, pharmaceutical class, cost of stored medicine and conditions of storage.
  
  
  METHODS
  A structured questionnaire was administered within the homes in two rural areas in Crete.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty families participated in the study including 85 individual household members (36 men, and 49 women with an average age of 56.5 ± 24.3 mean ± SD). There were a total of 557 medications recorded, with 324 different medications representing a total value of €8954. The mean quantity of medication boxes stored in each home was 8.5 ± 5.8. Cardiovascular medications accounted for 56% of medications for current use; whereas analgesics (24%), and antibiotics (17%), were the most medications being stored for future use. Exchange of medicine was very common (95%). Beliefs that 'more expensive medication is more effective', and that 'over the counter medications are safe because they were easily available' were expressed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Medications are being stored in large quantities in these rural areas, with a large percentage of them being wasted or misused.
authors: Agia Barbara Health Care Center, Venizelion Hospital, Heraklion, Crete, Greece. i.tsiligianni@med.umcg.nl
authors: Ioanna G
authors: IG
authors: Tsiligianni
authors: Candida
authors: C
authors: Delgatty
authors: Athanasios
authors: A
authors: Alegakis
authors: Christos
authors: C
authors: Lionis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016527:Drug Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004356:Drug Storage / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D004366:Nonprescription Drugs / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000191:economics; D055553:Prescription Drugs / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000191:economics; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D004366:Nonprescription Drugs; D055553:Prescription Drugs