Understanding perceptions of the safety of prescription medication sharing: a qualitative study with primary care-based healthcare professionals and members of the public

Problem

Prescription medication sharing (i.e., the giving and/or using of a prescription medicine that has been prescribed for someone else) is a form of inappropriate medication use. If not taken correctly, prescription medicines can cause harm. Few qualitative studies have explored non-recreational prescription medication sharing behaviours from the patient perspective. Healthcare providers’ perspectives similarly have been rarely explored. The aim of this study was to explore patient and healthcare provider experiences and beliefs about prescription medication sharing behaviour alongside their perceptions of the safety of these practices.

Approach

Members of the public who had previously participated in a quantitative telephone survey and reported loaning and/or borrowing of prescription medication in the last 12 months were purposively sampled and invited to take part in an interview. Healthcare professionals (HCPs) with roles in prescribing and/or medicines management were recruited via our professional networks. Interviews addressed experiences and outcomes related to medication sharing, influences on risk perceptions and potential solutions for reducing unsafe medication sharing practices. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically using an inductive approach to identify overarching themes.

Findings

Data collection has been completed and analysis is ongoing. Interviews were conducted with 19 members of the public and 13 healthcare professionals. Key themes arising from preliminary analysis relate to justification for sharing behaviour. Many members of the public felt that they should not share medicines prescribed for them with others. These individuals however tended to perceive themselves as experts in the medicines that they used regularly. Familiarity with their medicines meant that these individuals were confident to self-medicate and assess the risks and benefits of lending to others with similar diagnoses and symptoms. Some also felt that sharing was justifiable as they had not explicitly been advised that medicines prescribed for them should not be shared with others. Both members of the public and HCPs felt that sharing of medicines is a topic rarely discussed within routine practice. Some HCPs and patients recalled disclosures of sharing occurring during consultations in which the patient was requesting a prescription for a medicine they had not been prescribed before. HCPs tended however not to directly address this topic for fear of jeopardising good doctor-patient relationships. Other key themes identified including situational factors influencing sharing behaviours and perceptions of the safety of these practices will be presented and discussed.

Consequences

This is the first UK based study to investigate public and healthcare provider perceptions of the safety of prescription medication sharing. Findings will identify beliefs and situational factors that influence these perceptions. Overall finding will be used to identify potential solutions that can be realistically delivered in practice to reduce unsafe medication sharing practices.