Disposal Practices of Unused Medication Among Pharmacists in Libya

Atia, Ahmed

doi:10.20944/preprints202109.0418.v1

Cited by 4 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…In a similar study, in Nigeria, solid dosage forms were disposed of through the rubbish bin, drug distributors and NAFDAC (National Agency for Drug Administration and Control), while liquid dosage forms were disposed of in the sink (Michael et al, 2019). Improper disposal methods among community pharmacies have also been retorted in Libya and Iraq (Albaroodi, 2019; Atia, 2021). However, in Saudi Arabia, 70% of 360 pharmacies surveyed return unused expired medicines to the pharmaceutical distributor (Alghadeer and Al-Arifi, 2021).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Disposal of leftover and expired medicines by community pharmacies and their clients in Ghana

2022

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Improper and unsafe disposal of expired and unwanted medicines could cause harm to both people and the environment and therefore it is of public health importance. The objective of the study was to determine the methods employed by community pharmacist and their clients in the disposal of unwanted and expired medicines. Furthermore, the role of the pharmacists in the assessment of clients left over medicines was also explored. A cross sectional study design was employed with a sample of 120 pharmacy staff and 200 clients. Semi structured questionnaires were developed and administered to the two groups. Ethical approval was obtained. Data collected were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS v.24). Two hundred and eighty medicines were assessed from 131 respondents (65.5%) who brought their unused or left-over medicines to the pharmacy. These included analgesics 102(36.4%), antibiotics 50 (17.9%) and antacids 22 (7.9%). Disposal of expired and left-over medicines cited by respondents were the general-purpose bin 58(77.0%) and down the sink 11(14.3%). The majority 99(82.9%) of community pharmacies also disposed of solid dosage forms through the general-purpose bin. In addition, 90(75%) community pharmacies disposed of liquid waste in general purpose bin. Lack of enforcement of legislation was cited by community pharmacy staff as a barrier to the proper disposal of pharmaceutical waste. The predominant method of disposal of expired/unwanted medicines by community pharmacies and their clients was via the general-purpose bin. Implementation of interventions such as take back programmes that will enhance proper disposal of expired and left over medicines should be initiated.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Disposal of leftover and expired medicines by community pharmacies and their clients in Ghana

2022

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“…In the current study, 72.72% of participants were confirmed they were keeping it, while the other 25% discarding it. Similarly, an earlier study in Libya demonstrated that 53.1% of respondents said thatthrowing discarded drugs in thetrash bin was their preferred method of disposal [14] .…”

Section: Practicing Self-medicationmentioning

confidence: 85%

Self-medication's knowledge and practice in adults attending pharmacies in Tripoli, Libya

Atia¹

2023

JMPAS

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Self-medication is a widespread practice that may contribute to the antibiotic resistance of human pathogens. This study was aimed to determine the prevalence of self-medication among Libyan patients in Tripoli city. This descriptive, questionnaire- based cross-sectional study was conducted from August to October 2022 among Libyan patients in Tripoli city. The questionnaire was compromising from 13 questions. Three questions were dedicated to the general demographics and the next 10 questions were based on self-medication of drugs for the prevention and treatment of respiratory symptoms. All these questions if answered as a "No" was considered as self-medication. Among 214 participants, 176 (82%) were found to have practiced self-medication; 38.3% of them were aged less than 25 years, the majority being males (60.7%). Lack of time and feeling confidence with self-medication practice were the most common reasons cited behind practicing self-medication. Pain suppressing medications were the most selfmedicated drugs by 55.68%. Pharmacies (67.05%) were the commonest source regarding medicines for self-medication. The higher educated tended to self-medicate more than those with a low level of education. The majority of the respondents to the study reported self-medicating. Therefore, it's essential to enforce the law strictly and raise public awareness of the negative effects of self-medication.

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“… 3 , 4 A number of countries have implemented legislation pertaining to the appropriate disposal of unwanted or expired medicine. 5 Ensuring the effectiveness and safety of pharmaceutical items may be achieved by following the prescribed storage conditions specified on the label and using them prior to their designated expiry date. 6 , 7 The disposal of pharmaceuticals is often advised by suppliers and certain healthcare organizations, taking into consideration their expiry date.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessment of general population knowledge, attitude, and practice on safe unused and expired drugs disposal: a cross-sectional study

Mohammed,

Al-Hamadani

2023

F1000Res

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Background The appropriate disposal of medication is a well-recognized issue that has convened growing recognition in several contexts. Insufficient awareness relating to appropriate methods for the disposal of unneeded medicine may result in notable consequences. The current research was conducted among the public in Iraq with the aim of examining their knowledge, attitude, and practices regarding the proper disposal of unused and expired medicines. Methods The present study used an observational cross-sectional design that was community-based. The data were obtained from using an online questionnaire. The study sample included people of diverse genders, regardless of their race or occupational status. The study mandated that all participants meet two criteria: firstly, they had to be a minimum of 18 years old, and secondly, they needed to have permanent residency status in Iraq. Results The research population consisted of 591 participants from general population. The majority of participants were men (64.8%) with average age of 33.5±9.1 years. The majority of participants (˃50%) answered four out of eight knowledge questions correctly. There were significant (P-value ˂0.05) differences in four knowledge items about disposing of unused/expired medications according to the educational level. Elder participants had significantly higher knowledge about the disposing of unused/expired medications compared to younger ones. More than 84% correctly agreed that improper disposal of unused and expired medication has adverse effects on environment. Although the majority of the participants had positive attitude toward the safe disposal of unused/expired medications, their actual practice was improper for these medications. Approximately 70% of the participants have disposed unused/expired medications into their home trash can. Conclusion Despite increasing awareness from the general populace about the possible harm and substantial hazards linked to expired medicines, there is an absence of understanding concerning the proper techniques for disposing of and managing these prescriptions.

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Disposal Practices of Unused Medication Among Pharmacists in Libya

Cited by 4 publications

References 13 publications

Disposal of leftover and expired medicines by community pharmacies and their clients in Ghana

Disposal of leftover and expired medicines by community pharmacies and their clients in Ghana

Self-medication's knowledge and practice in adults attending pharmacies in Tripoli, Libya

Assessment of general population knowledge, attitude, and practice on safe unused and expired drugs disposal: a cross-sectional study

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