Qualitative study on antibiotic management in households: perception of family caregivers

Abstract

The available literature shows quantitative studies on the management of antibiotics; however, few investigations describe the perceptions and experiences of family caregivers with a qualitative approach. To explore the perceptions of family caregivers who manage antibiotic medications at home. Qualitative, descriptive scope and cross section. The information was collected through semi-structured interviews with caregivers with relatives who have a chronic degenerative disease, and without studies related to health care. Antibiotics have limitations at the time of access, which influences the storage that families have in their homes, the storage characteristics lie on the site and not in the container. Caretakers do not check expiration dates; medicines are discarded without established measures. The perceptions of caregivers in rural contexts differ from those in the urban context. Caregivers participate in the medication management process and recognize that they can improve their practices, therefore, the perceptions of access, storage, use, and disposal are necessary for improvement proposals.