Rational drug use and the disposal cost of unused medications within house; a descriptive-cross-sectional study

Although irrational drug use is more common in underdeveloped and developing countries, it remains a significant health problem worldwide and is considered a habit that is difficult to correct. This study was conducted to determine individuals' attitudes toward rational drug use at the household level, the costs of unused drugs within households, and the methods of disposal used.

The research is descriptive and cross-sectional and was conducted between March 1, 2022, and May 30, 2022. The study consists of families who reside in a district in the Black Sea region of Turkey. The research was carried out with 385 families, and data were collected through a questionnaire prepared by the researchers using face-to-face interviews. SPSS (25.0)soft ware package was used for data analysis.

The average age of the participants is 47.99 ± 17.81, with 66.8% of the participants being female. 52.5% of the participants use medication without consulting healthcare professionals when they are ill, 49.4% do not take their medication as prescribed, and 56.4% store medication at home. 28.1% of individuals do not check the expiration date of their medication, and 33.5% do not read the drug prospectus. Participants dispose of unused drugs by throwing them in the trash (36.6%) or storing them at home (36.4%). The cost of medication in households is 7,398 USD, and the cost of unused medication is 1,315 USD. The average cost of unused medication per households is calculated as 3.70 USD (112. 38 TL).

Rational drug use is lower among those with lower education levels. Families dispose of unused drugs in inappropriate ways. 18% of the medication in households is unused, contributing to the burden on families and the national economy. Increasing public awareness of rational drug use and the sale of medications in smaller quantities at the box/bottle level can help prevent the accumulation ofmedication at home. Practical and sustainable solutions should be implemented for the disposal of unused drugs.