Whatcom County Drug Storage & Disposal Survey

Secure Medicine Disposal Survey

About 1/3 of medicines sold to consumers go unused. Stored unused or expired medications contribute to medicine abuse and preventable poisonings in our communities and improper disposal methods adds pharmaceutical pollution in the environment.

The Whatcom County Health Department is conducting this short survey to gain a better understanding of the community’s practice of and attitudes toward storing and disposing of unwanted household medications. This 12 question survey is anonymous and should take approximately 4-6 minutes. We appreciate your time in taking the survey.

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* 1. What is your age?

18-29

30-49

50-69

70 or older

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* 2. If you have youth (age 21 or younger) in your home, how old are they? (check all that apply)

0-4 years

5-10 years

11-17 years

18-21 years

I don't have youth in my home

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* 3. Where do you usually store medicines? (By 'medicines' we mean prescription and over-the-counter drugs, including pills, patches, and liquids. Please include medicines for you and your family members and your pets) Check all that apply.

Kitchen

Bathroom

Bedroom

Linen Closet

On the counter or table

Medicine lock box

In a locked drawer

Other

Other (please specify)

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* 4. Do you currently have expired, leftover or otherwise unwanted medicines in your home?

Yes

Don't Know

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* 5. If yes, why are expired or unwanted medicines in your home? (Check all that apply)

Saving them in case I, or a household member need them again.

Doctor said I should stop taking them

Doctor gave me new medicines

Felt better

Didn't like the side effects or had a negative reaction

Leftover from a death of a family member or friend

Didn't want to take my medicines

Haven't gotten around to getting rid of them

Don't know what to do with them

Waiting for a drug collection day

Other

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* 6. What do you usually do with medicines you no longer want or need? (Check all that apply)

Flush down the toilet or put down the drain

Throw away in the trash as they are

Throw away in the trash after mixing with coffee grounds, kitty little or something similar

Take them to a drop-off bin at the Police Department

Take them to a drop-off bin at a pharmacy

Take them to a medicine Take-Back event

Mail them in a pre-paid envelope for disposal

Keep at home

I don't usually have any left-over medicine

Other (please specify)

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* 7. Have you experienced a situation in which you or someone you know personally had medicines taken from them for use or abuse by someone else?

Yes

Don't Know

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* 8. If there was a convenient location, how likely would you or a household member be to drop off unused or expired medications for free disposal?

Very Likely

Somewhat Likely

Somewhat Unlikely

Very Unlikely

Don't Know

Question Title

* 9. If you could use a free mailer to dispose of unwanted medications, how likely would you or a household member be to send unused or expired medications in for disposal?

Very Likely

Somewhat Likely

Somewhat Unlikely

Very Unlikely

Don't Know

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* 10. Do you think any of the following should be responsible for providing safe disposal options (covering costs) for unused or unwanted medicines?

	Yes	No	Don't Know
Pharmaceutical companies	Pharmaceutical companies Yes	Pharmaceutical companies No	Pharmaceutical companies Don't Know
State government	State government Yes	State government No	State government Don't Know
County or City jurisdictions	County or City jurisdictions Yes	County or City jurisdictions No	County or City jurisdictions Don't Know

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 11. Please rank who you think should be primarily responsible for providing safe disposal options (covering costs) for unused or unwanted medicines? (1 - full responsibility, 2 - some responsibility, 3 - little responsibility, no responsibility)

	1	2	3	No responsibility
Pharmaceutical companies	Pharmaceutical companies 1	Pharmaceutical companies 2	Pharmaceutical companies 3	Pharmaceutical companies No responsibility
State government	State government 1	State government 2	State government 3	State government No responsibility
County or City jurisdictions	County or City jurisdictions 1	County or City jurisdictions 2	County or City jurisdictions 3	County or City jurisdictions No responsibility

Whatcom County Drug Storage & Disposal Survey

Secure Medicine Disposal Survey

Question Title

* 1. What is your age?

Question Title

* 2. If you have youth (age 21 or younger) in your home, how old are they? (check all that apply)

Question Title

* 3. Where do you usually store medicines? (By 'medicines' we mean prescription and over-the-counter drugs, including pills, patches, and liquids. Please include medicines for you and your family members and your pets) Check all that apply.

Question Title

* 4. Do you currently have expired, leftover or otherwise unwanted medicines in your home?

Question Title

* 5. If yes, why are expired or unwanted medicines in your home? (Check all that apply)

Question Title

* 6. What do you usually do with medicines you no longer want or need? (Check all that apply)

Question Title

* 7. Have you experienced a situation in which you or someone you know personally had medicines taken from them for use or abuse by someone else?

Question Title

* 8. If there was a convenient location, how likely would you or a household member be to drop off unused or expired medications for free disposal?

Question Title

* 9. If you could use a free mailer to dispose of unwanted medications, how likely would you or a household member be to send unused or expired medications in for disposal?

Question Title

* 10. Do you think any of the following should be responsible for providing safe disposal options (covering costs) for unused or unwanted medicines?

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* 11. Please rank who you think should be primarily responsible for providing safe disposal options (covering costs) for unused or unwanted medicines? (1 - full responsibility, 2 - some responsibility, 3 - little responsibility, no responsibility)

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* 12. What is your zip code?

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* 13. Comments: