Disposal Of Unused/expired Medications: Knowledge, Attitude And Practice Among Individuals Visiting Community Pharmacy In Kathmandu District

• By: KHATRI, Januka (Nepal Health Research Council, Nepal)
• Co-author(s): Ms Januka Khatri (Nepal Health Research Council, Kathmandu, Nepal)
  Dr. Rajani Shakya (Kathmandu University, Dhulikhel, Nepal)
  Dr Sunil Shrestha (Nepal Health Research and Innovation Foundation, Lalitpur, Nepal)
  
• Abstract:

  ABSTRACT
  Background
  The improper disposal of expired, unwanted, or unused medications ,particularly by consumers is issue of global concern. Pharmaceutical wastes enter our ecosystem due to improper disposal practices that pose a huge threat to public health and environment. However, the public's lack of knowledge and awareness regarding the safe disposal of medicines can be widely observed. This study was planned to assess knowledge, attitude, and practice of individuals visiting community pharmacies in the Kathmandu district regarding pharmaceutical waste disposal.
  Methods
  A cross-sectional study was carried out in community pharmacies of the Kathmandu District. The questionnaire was distributed to 395 random individuals visiting community pharmacies. The data were analyzed for descriptive and inferential statistics using SPSS version-23 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA).
  Results
  The present study's findings showed that more than half of the respondents (62%) have good knowledge on the correct disposal of unused and expired medicine. Majority of the participants (92%) have a positive attitude toward and more than two-thirds of respondents (88.1%) were aware of the harmful effects of improper medicine disposal in the environment. About 43% of the respondents had unused medicines stored at home, with analgesics (46%) and antibiotics (42%) most common. Most of the respondents discarded expired medicines in household rubbish bins, and kept unused medicines in their homes until they expired. A significant association (p value<0.05) was found between the knowledge and their actual medicine disposal practice.
  Conclusion
  Despite having a positive attitude and good knowledge concerning the disposal of unused and expired medicines, the actual disposal was inappropriate. Therefore, there is an urgent need to establish proper drug take-back programs and national guidelines on safe disposal of unused and expired medicines generated from households. Furthermore, healthcare providers should play an active role in organizing awareness campaigns on appropriate medicine disposal practices.
  Keywords
  Attitude, Disposal of unused/expired medicines, Environment, Household, Practice,