Medication Sharing, Storage, and Disposal Practices for Opioid Medications Among US Adults

Summary/Excerpts

This study focusing on opioid medication practices revealed that many adults share their prescriptions, and a significant portion keeps leftover medications for future use. Safe storage, like locking medications away, is uncommon, and nearly half of the participants reported not receiving clear instructions on how to store or dispose of them properly. The findings highlight the need for better education and practices to reduce risks associated with sharing, improper storage, and disposal of opioid medications.

Key Statistics

About 20.7% (weighted percentage) reported ever having shared opioid medications with another person.

Some respondents reported being likely to let a relative (13.7%) or close friend (7.7%) use their opioid medication.

Among those with leftover opioid medications, 61.3% reported keeping them for future use.

48.7% of adults with recent opioid medication use did not recall receiving information on safe storage

The vast majority of respondents (91.4%) reported storing their opioid medication in an unlocked location.

45.3% of adults with recent opioid medication use did not recall receiving information on proper disposal.

Citation

Kennedy-Hendricks A, Gielen A, McDonald E, McGinty EE, Shields W, Barry CL. Medication sharing, storage, and disposal practices for opioid medications among US adults. JAMA Intern Med. 2016;176(7):1027–1029.

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