Descarte final de medicamentos: a percepção dos alunos de uma escola pública de Sobradinho, RS

Abstract

The survey sought to ascertain the level of information in the community about the final destination of expired and discarded medical products in their homes. To understand in depth the result of this methodological research into the fate of these drugs, it was used a questionnaire with nine specific questions. The sample consisted of 177 high school students, resident in the Sobradinho, RS. After the questionnaire, it was obtained the following results: 100% of the population ha vemedications in their homes, 54% of survey participants reported having drugs without the presence of bulla in their homes, 80% revealed that the drugs are not stored in an appropriate place and out of reach of children, 45% possess analgesic and antipyretic drugs at home, making the use there of without prescription, 51% provide the validity of pharmaco when they need to make use of the same, 50% find it important to properly dispose of these drugs, 47% dump their expired medications down the sinkorin the tank, 52% are aware of the consequences of incorrect disposal on the environment and 44% know they can contaminate soil and water by improper disposal. The survey showed a satisfactory level of awareness about the negative consequences for the environment when disposal of expired products is not done in a proper way, however, the current forms of disposal still create doubts which should be vanquished among respondents who do not know how to proceed. It seems apparent awareness among respondents that the indiscriminate disposal of medicines could cause serious harm to public health and / or the environment and that it is necessary to clarify advertising campaigns and awareness of the general population.