Citation

O'driscoll D, Brogan C. Psychiatr. Danub. 2006; 18(Suppl 1): 141-142.

Affiliation

Health Services Executive South Dublin Mid Leinster, Bridge House, Cherry Orchard Hospital, Dublin 10, Dublin, Ireland. denis.odriscoll@mailf.hse.ie.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2006, Facultas Universitatis Studiorum Zagrabiensis - Danube Symposion of Psychiatry)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

16964132

Abstract

Suicide and self-harm is of significant public health issue in Ireland, with 450 completed suicides in 2004. The Disposal of Unused Medication Properly (DUMP) project was piloted in 6 pharmacies (Oct-Nov 2002) in the Health Services Executive South Western Area as an intervention to reduce access to means for suicide and self-harm. Added benefit of the DUMP Project may be to reduce accidental poisoning in children, and environmental pollution from pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) (10th European Symposium on Suicidal Behaviour, 2004). DUMP has subsequently been implemented, June 2003 to all pharmacies registered within the region (n= 157). This region provided services to a population of over 500,000. As of December 2005 over 15 tonnes of unused/ unwanted medications have been returned. A randomised sample from 33 participating pharmacies was analysed. The results showed over 50% of returns were attributed to not finishing or not starting medication. Results demonstrated using the WHO ICD-10 classification that X60, X61, X62, and X63 accounted for 206, 214, 59 and 1,227 of the returned items. Further analysis of a correlation between the medication of choice as a method of overdose and medication type being returned is being further investigated.

Language: en