An exploratory study on medications in Qatar homes

Figures & data

Figure 1 Age distribution of the residents in all houses surveyed (n = 265).

Table 1 Number of people living in the household (n = 49)

Individuals living in household	Households (%)
2–4	25 (51.0)
5–10	20 (40.8)
>10	4 (8.2)

Table 2 Drug distribution by class (n = 278)

Drug therapeutic class	Percentage
Analgesics	21
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents	16
Allergy, cough, cold	14
Not specified/others	9
Anti-infectives	6
Vitamins, nutritional	5
Antihypertensives	5
Oral antidiabetics	4
Complementary alternative medicine	3
Antacids/prokinetics	3
Bronchodilators	3
Aspirin	2
Systemic steroids	2
Statins	2
Insulin antidiabetic agents	1
Antiepileptics	1
Inhaled steroids	1
Hormonal	1
Endocrine, thyroxine	1
Immunosuppressants	1
Neurological	1
Other, medicines for other cardiovascular diseases	1
Bone, joint	0

Table 3 Drugs per sale category (n = 278)

Drug category	n (%)
Over the counter (for acute use)	167 (60.1)
Prescription medicines (for chronic use)	86 (31)
Not identified	25 (8.9)

Table 4 Drug storage sites in the home (n = 253)

Place of storage	Frequency (%)
Kitchen	13 (5.1)
Fridge	63 (24.9)
Fridge and bedroom	3 (1.2)
Bedroom alone	126 (50)
Other (bathroom, living room other room)	48 (19)
Total	253