Journal article
How Patients Dispose of Unused Prescription Opioids: A Survey of over 300 Postoperative Patients
Curēus (Palo Alto, CA), v 14(8), pp e28111-e28111
17 Aug 2022
PMID: 36134102
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
Introduction
Diversion of unused prescription opioids is a common source of opioid sensitization in the community. Educating patients about safe opioid use has been shown to be effective in decreasing opioid use. However, decreasing diversion will also require educating patients on proper opioid disposal. A survey was administered to better understand patients’ habits with opioid disposal for opioids prescribed after orthopedic surgery.
Methods
A cross-sectional survey study of 469 patients who had undergone orthopedic surgery was conducted to learn their preferences and habits regarding the disposal of unused prescription opioids received after orthopedic surgery.
Results
The survey respondents consisted of 48.8% female and 51.2% male patients. Ninety-four point two percent (94.2%) of those receiving opioid prescriptions reported having leftover unused opioids. In terms of voluntary disposal, 68.8% claimed to dispose of their prescription opioids while 31.2% did not. Gender, but not age, had a significant effect on plans for opioid disposal and how seriously respondents viewed issues of opioid misuse. When asked their preferred location for prescription opioid disposal, the most common preference was a local pharmacy.
Discussion
This survey identified that most patients do not store their prescription opioids in a locked location, claim to dispose of their unused prescription opioids, and would prefer to dispose of them at a pharmacy if possible. This information points to the need for close prescriber-to-pharmacy collaboration to promote the safe disposal of prescription opioids and mitigate drug diversion.
Metrics
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Details
- Title
- How Patients Dispose of Unused Prescription Opioids: A Survey of over 300 Postoperative Patients
- Creators
- Ramin TalebiChaim MillerJack AbboudiShyam BrahmabhattWilliam EmperJess LonnerJustin KistlerDonald MazurDavid PedowitzAsif M Ilyas
- Publication Details
- Curēus (Palo Alto, CA), v 14(8), pp e28111-e28111
- Publisher
- Cureus
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Pediatrics
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000843958300004
- Other Identifier
- 991021838140204721
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Medicine, General & Internal