Patients’ knowledge, attitudes and concerns regarding the disposal of expired/unused medication

Abstract

Objectives Unused/expired medicines that are improperly disposed of can enter soil and water supply and have negative implications for public health. This study aimed to assess patients’ knowledge and understanding of medication disposal practices and their willingness to participate in a medication takeback programme. Methods A self-administered questionnaire comprising of 26 questions based on demographics, knowledge, beliefs, practices and concerns was utilized in this study. The study was conducted over 12 weeks at outpatient pharmacy sites located in the four Regional Health Authorities in Trinidad. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 24 was used for statistical analysis. Key findings A total of 547 persons completed the questionnaire. Knowledge of the dangers of improper medication disposal was highest in those aged 18–25 years (P = 0.007) and having secondary/tertiary level education (P = 0.002). Disposal of unused/expired medication via household thrash (86.1%) was the most commonly encountered practice. Only 14.1% (n = 77) of respondents asked the pharmacist for advice on best disposal practice, although 47.3% (n = 259) thought that the pharmacist should be the main source of advice for information on medication disposal practices. There was a willingness to participate in a medicine takeback programme from 82% (n = 449) of the respondents, and the majority (67.5%) (n = 303) would prefer it if medication takeback programmes were implemented at private community pharmacies. Conclusions Patients in Trinidad utilized household garbage as their main disposal method. There is a need to implement a medication takeback programme and educate the public on proper medication disposal.

Pharmacists knowledge, perception and practice regarding medication disposal

“…Amongst Nigerian community pharmacists, 16.2% used workplace garbage or pouring down the sink as their means of expired drug disposal. This was lower than that observed in Trinidad, 11 although the sample size was smaller in Nigeria. In Saudi Arabia, 16 75.3% returned expired medication to their pharmaceutical distributors whereas in Kuwait, 14 73% of pharmacists disposed of medication by pouring it down the sink/flushing in the toilet.…”

“…for proper disposal of pharmaceutical waste. Previous work in Trinidad 11 showed that patients disposed of unused/expired medication by throwing it in the household trash. As drug experts, pharmacists must be well equipped to inform the general population on the best ways to dispose of unused/expired medications.…”

“…There is no medication take-back programme implemented in Trinidad and previous work revealed that most patients dispose of medication in the household garbage (88.0%), and the majority do not seek information on proper disposal practise, as determined in this study with only 38% of patients seek disposal advice from their pharmacist. 11 Almost half of the pharmacists were not exposed to proper medication disposal practices while at Pharmacy School and only 28.4% thought that the pharmacist job description includes providing information on medication disposal.…”

“…With no medication take back programme available in Trinidad, it was observed that a large proportion (88%) of the Trinidadian public disposed of expired/unused medications in household trash. 11 Pharmacies can also contribute to the increase in pharmaceutical waste by disposing of expired medication in the workplace garbage or dissolving the drugs in water and pouring them down the sink. This can cause health hazards to life and the environment if disposed is this manner as environmental contamination will inevitably occur.…”

Unused, expired pharmaceuticals and their disposal practices among the general public in Burdur-Türkiye: a cross-sectional study

“…In a study conducted by Gidey et al (2020), it was reported that improper disposal of pharmaceuticals might be harmful to the environment and 77.4% disposed of pharmaceuticals by throwing them in household garbage [ 20 ]. In another study on medication disposal, it was reported that participants mostly disposed of medicines by throwing them in household garbage [ 21 ]. The dominant view was that unused pharmaceuticals were generally accumulated in households, expired pharmaceuticals were thrown in household garbage, pharmaceuticals were stored in the kitchen, and improper disposal harmed the environment in literature.…”