A Cross-Sectional Study on Medication Errors in Home Health Care: The Role of Caregiver Type at a Military Hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

BackgroundMedication safety in the home setting is becoming an increasingly important issue, particularly for older adults managing chronic illnesses. In Saudi Arabia, specifically within the National Guard Health Affairs (NGHA) system, medications are dispensed free of charge; however, the absence of a unified national tracking system for medication distribution may lead to safety risks. The risks are related to the duplicated amount of storage and expired or duplicate medications. Additionally, the support of untrained family members as informal caregivers may delay the implementation of safe medication management practices at home. MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted at a military hospital under the NGHA in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A structured medication form was used to assess key aspects of medication safety, including type of medication, timing, dosage accuracy, storage conditions, and caregiver type. Data from 503 patients and 2,515 individual medications were analyzed. Descriptive statistics were used for the sample, and the chi-square test was applied to examine the association between caregiver type and medication errors. Statistical analysis was performed using SAS 9.4. ResultsMost caregivers were informal (60.04%), and the average patient age was 79.8 years. Among all medications, 13.2% had dosage errors, 2% were expired, and 14.6% were improperly stored. A significant number (22.5%) were not administered at the correct time. The most common drug categories were antihypertensives, gastrointestinal agents, and sedatives. Medication errors were significantly higher among patients cared for by informal caregivers (46.01%) compared to formal caregivers (19.10%) (p < 0.0001). ConclusionMedication errors at home are a worldwide concern. Our findings highlight the need for caregiver training to improve home medication management and some policy reforms, like a national medication tracking system. This aligns with the importance of ensuring patient safety at home and the relevance of addressing this concern in Saudi Arabia.