Understanding factors that contribute to the disposal of unused opioid medication
Summary/Excerpts
This study sought to understand the barriers and motivations for the appropriate disposal of prescription opioid medication. Factors associated with retention included receiving education about disposal practices, being prescribed short-acting/immediate-release opioids, and a desire to have opioid pain medication available in case it is needed at a later date. Being prescribed an extended-release/long-acting opioid, receiving compensation for opioid medication disposal, and geographic convenience of a disposal kiosk were cited as factors that did or would contribute to the proper disposal of opioids. This study demonstrates suggested methods and opportunities for improved compliance in disposing of opioids, which may be helpful in successfully addressing the opioid epidemic.
Key Statistics
Only one-third of patients disposed of their unused opioid medication
Education about the importance of and appropriate methods for drug disposal was associated with a significantly increased likelihood of patients disposing of unused medication
... the most impactful drivers of unused opioid disposal were routine practice of disposing of all unused drugs and instruction from a health care provider ...
Citation
Buffington DE, Lozicki A, Alfieri T, Bond TC. Understanding factors that contribute to the disposal of unused opioid medication. J Pain Res. 2019;12:725-732
https://doi.org/10.2147/JPR.S171742