Insulin therapy waste produced in the households of people with diabetes monitored in Primary Care

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the insulin therapy waste disposal produced in the households of people with diabetes mellitus (DM). Method: Cross-sectional study with 105 Primary Care patients. Socio-demographic and clinical variables and insulin therapy practice were analyzed through the absolute and relative frequencies, Fisher's exact test and prevalence ratio (PR). Results: The association between types of insulin (60.0%), administered with a disposable syringe attached to a needle (80.9%), and a high percentage of reuse and disposal in normal household waste (57.1%) stood out. The professionals who most frequently provided guidance to people with diabetes were the nurses. Patients who had received instructions about disposal were 21 times more likely to dispose of waste properly than those who had not (PR 21.5; P < 0.0001). Age, gender, skin color, education, marital status, occupational status and type of DM did not interfere in the disposal (P > 0.05). Conclusion: People with diabetes served in Primary Health Care require guidance and material resources to carry out the appropriate disposal of insulin therapy waste. Descriptors: Diabetes Mellitus; Insulin; Disposal of Health Services Residues; Nursing; Health Promotion. RESUMO Objetivo: Analisar o descarte de resíduos da insulinoterapia produzidos no domicílio de pessoas com diabetes mellitus (DM). Método: Estudo transversal com amostra de 105 pacientes da Atenção Primária. Variáveis sociodemográfi cas, clínicas e prática de insulinoterapia foram analisadas por meio das frequências absoluta e relativa, teste exato de Fisher e razão de prevalência (RP). Resultados: Destacou-se associação entre insulinas (60,0%), administradas com seringa descartável acoplada à agulha (80,9%), alto percentual de reutilização e descarte no lixo doméstico comum (57,1%). Os profi ssionais que mais orientaram os diabéticos foram os enfermeiros. Pacientes orientados sobre descarte tiveram 21 vezes mais chances de descartarem resíduos adequadamente que os não orientados (RP 21,5; P < 0,0001). Idade, sexo, cor da pele, escolaridade, estado civil, situação ocupacional e tipo de DM não interferiram no descarte (P > 0,05). Conclusão: Diabéticos atendidos na Atenção Primária necessitam de orientações e recursos materiais para realizarem descarte adequado dos resíduos da insulinoterapia. Descritores: Diabetes Mellitus; Insulina; Eliminação de Resíduos de Serviços de Saúde; Enfermagem; Promoção da Saúde. RESUMEN Objetivo: Analizar la eliminación de los residuos de la terapia con insulina en las viviendas de personas con diabetes mellitus (DM). Método: Estudio transversal, del cual participaron 105 pacientes asistidos en atención primaria. Se analizaron las variables sociodemográfi cas, clínicas y la administración de la terapia con insulina a través de las frecuencias absoluta y relativa, la prueba exacta de Fisher y la razón de prevalencias (RP). Resultados: Se destacaron la asociación entre insulinas (60,0%) aplicadas con jeringuillas desechables pegadas a la aguja (80,9%), su elevado...

Practices related to sharps disposal among diabetic patients in Sri Lanka

“…Patients who were educated about sharp disposal were likely to dispose of them “safely”. This finding is also supported by several other studies [3, 8, 9, 16, 17]. When all safe methods of sharps disposal are reviewed, there were no relationships between age, gender or type of diabetes.…”

Self-care competence in the administration of insulin in older people aged 70 or over

“…Regarding the disposal of sharps, approximately half of the older people discarded sharps in a hard flask and only half of them performed the procedure properly. Similar results were found in a recent study conducted in the city of Fortaleza, CE, Brazil, which showed that 57.1% of the participants discarded in an inappropriate manner the waste generated by the administration of insulin in the ordinary household waste, even though they had been instructed on the appropriate manner to perform the disposal of this material 13 . International studies 32 - 33 also found high percentages of inappropriate waste disposal resulting from insulin therapy, and the possible reason for this finding was the unsatisfactory impact of continuing education on the safe disposal of sharps.…”

“…The epidemiological aspects of DM have been extensively studied 1 , 12 , whereas there is a lack of information on self-administration of insulin, especially in older people. Previous studies at national level have identified frequent errors in the preparation and administration of insulin 10 , as well as improper disposal of residues generated by the administration of insulin at home 13 . This reality is not restricted only to Brazil, being also highlighted in studies at international level 14 - 16 .…”

Education in Diabetes Mellitus for blood glucose self-monitoring: a quasi-experimental study

“…Educational reinforcement is needed to change this practice and to present the appropriate disposal of these materials in order to comply with the recommendations and to provide safe waste (1) . In this sense, other national studies also obtained similar results in relation to the disposal of sharps (20)(21) .…”