The role of the community health agent in control of the in-house stock of medication in communities served by the family health strategy

• Published in: Ciência & saude coletiva Vol. 17; no. 5; pp. 1305 - 1312
• Main Authors: Laste, Gabriela, Deitos, Alícia, Kauffmann, Carla, Castro, Luís César de, Torres, Iraci Lucena da Silva, Fernandes, Luciana Carvalho
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Portuguese
• Published: Brazil 01.05.2012
• Subjects: Adult; Brazil; Community Health Services; Community Health Workers; Drug Storage; Drug Utilization - standards; Family Characteristics; Family Health; Female; Humans; Male; Brazil
• ISSN: 1678-4561
• DOI: 10.1590/S1413-81232012000500024

The scope of this study was to investigate the in-house stock of medication in communities served by the Family Health Strategy (FHS) in a city located in the south of Brazil. A sample of 10% of households in five FHS areas was studied. Data were collected by Community Healthcare Workers using the adapted Fernandes questionnaire (2000). The mean age of the interviewees was 42 years and of the residents was 16 years, 51% of which were female. Low income (1 to 3 minimum wages) was observed (69.1%), and low education levels (0 to 4 years of study) (42%). Of the households visited 98.7% had at least one medication in stock. In 533 of the storage places located, 43.5% of such places were exposed to heat, 39.6% were exposed to humidity and 16.51% to light. Of the 2,717 medicines found, 6.9% were past the validity date, 35.3% were not in the secondary wrapping and 67.9% were without the patient information leaflet. Analgesics were the most common medications in in-house stock (21%). This study revealed the need for a multi-professional team to promote health and the rationalization of in-house stock since the Community Healthcare Worker is an indispensable professional to promote the rational use of medication.