Table 1.
Demographic characteristics.
| PARAMETER | N = 1105 (%) |
|---|---|
| Gender | |
| • Male | 428 (38.9%) |
| • Female | 672 (61.1%) |
| Age | |
| • Less than 18 | 5 (0.5%) |
| • From 19 to 29 | 273 (24.8%) |
| • From 30 to 39 | 325 (29.5%) |
| • From 40 to 49 | 237 (21.5%) |
| • Above 50 | 260 (23.6%) |
| The highest educational level | |
| • Less than high school | 66 (6%) |
| • High school | 284 (25.8%) |
| • Diploma | 128 (11.6%) |
| • Bachelor | 546 (49.6%) |
| • Master | 57 (5.2%) |
| • PhD | 19 (1.7%) |
| Social status | |
| • Married | 662 (60.2%) |
| • Single | 438 (39.8%) |
| Resident of any region | |
| • Makkah | 874 (79.5%) |
| • Riyadh | 101 (9.2%) |
| • Eastern region | 31 (2.8%) |
| • Qassim | 17 (1.5%) |
| • Medina | 30 (2.7%) |
| • Asir | 12 (1.1%) |
| • Tabuk | 6 (0.5%) |
| • Jizan | 14 (1.3%) |
| • Baha | 5 (0.5%) |
| • Jouf | 4 (0.4%) |
| • Hail | 3 (0.3%) |
| • Northern borders | 2 (0.2%) |
| • Najran | 1 (0.1%) |
| Frequency of medications storage at household | |
| • Always | 540 (49.1%) |
| • Often | 259 (23.5%) |
| • Sometimes | 215 (19.5%) |
| • Rare | 62 (5.6%) |
| • Never | 24 (2.2%) |
| Storage location at household | |
| • Locker | 216 (19.6%) |
| • Refrigerator | 708 (64.4%) |
| • Bedroom | 441 (40.1%) |
| • Living room | 53 (4.8%) |
| • I do not know | 8 (0.7%) |
| • Medicine cabinet | 281 (25.5%) |
| If needed, storing of medications away from moisture, light, and high temperature (more than 25 °C) is practiced in household | |
| • Always | 490 (44.5%) |
| • Often | 286 (26%) |
| • Sometimes | 182 (16.5%) |
| • Rare | 88 (8%) |
| • Never | 54 (4.9%) |
| Number of unused and/or expired medications stored in household | |
| • 0–5 | 787 (71.5%) |
| • 6–10 | 196 (17.8%) |
| • 11–15 | 43 (3.9%) |
| • 16–20 | 15 (1.4%) |
| • More than 20 | 59 (5.4%) |
| Classes of expired and unused medications that are in your household | |
| • Prescribed medicines | 571 (51.9%) |
| • Non-prescribed medicines | 737 (67%) |
| • Subcutaneous injection | 49 (4.5%) |
| • Intramuscular injection | 37 (3.4%) |
| • Intravenous | 18 (1.6%) |
| • Patches | 146 (13.3%) |
| • Others | 214 (19.5%) |
| Reasons for keeping unused/expired medicines at home (choose all applicable answers) | |
| • The medicine has been changed by the doctor | 394 (35.8%) |
| • The amount of medication dispensed is more than needed | 474 (43.1%) |
| • Stop using medication after recovery | 754 (68.5%) |
| • The prescribed medication has unpleasant side effects and has been discontinued | 257 (23.4%) |
| • The medication has expired | 131 (11.9%) |
| • Other reasons | 130 (11.8%) |
| Use of any prescribed medication for a relative or a friend | |
| • Always | 34 (3.1%) |
| • Often | 74 (6.7%) |
| • Sometimes | 354 (32.2%) |
| • Rare | 288 (26.2%) |
| • never | 350 (31.8%) |
| Verification of expiry date before administering medications | |
| • Always | 773 (70.3%) |
| • Often | 130 (11.8%) |
| • Sometimes | 105 (9.5%) |
| • Rare | 56 (5.1%) |
| • Never | 36 (3.3%) |