UNUSED AND EXPIRED MEDICATION DISPOSAL PRACTICES AMONG THE GENERAL PUBLIC IN (SEBHA)
Loading...
Date
2020
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
جامعة سبها
Abstract
Evidence shows the improper disposal of unused or expired medications has a significant threat to
environmental safety in worldwide. The objective of study to evaluate the knowledge, attitude and
practice household population about disposal of unused and expired medication. Methodology:
The study was conducted in west southern Libya (Sebha city), during October to April 2021 to
April in 2022. Various literature sources were reviewed to develop A self-administered
questionnaire with some modification. Result: Out of 650 self-administered only 500 completed
questionnaires was returned. Regarding keeping expired drugs (141,28.2%) admitted they kept
expired medicines at home compared with those (359, 71.8%) who denied that. The majority of
respondents (358, 71,6%) admitted they have at least one medication stored at home. The present
study, nearly one-quarter of participants (141,28.2%) admitted they kept expired medicines and
over one-half participants also reported they having unused medications 256(51.2%) in their
house. Nearly half of respondents (237, 47.4%) reported their unused or expired medicines were
taking from the private pharmacies The most common reason cited in this study for possessing the
unused medicines at home was " I am need it in the future” which were represented by (244,
48.8%). Following reasons ware "medicines change" and “Symptoms improvement and recovery”
which reported by (186,37.2%) and (163,32.6%)of participants respectively. Antibiotics was The
largest class of drugs (205, 41.0%) and then followed by antipyretic and analgesic medications
which were accounted for (149,29.8%) and (139,27.8%) of respondents respectively. Over the half
of participants (261, 52.2%) agreed that disposing of medicines in the garbage is the most
appropriate method and in the same time majority of them discarded unused or expired medicines
through the garbage regardless dosage form were solid (413,82.6%), liquid(292,58.4%), or
semisolid(398,79.6%) while the discarding in bathroom of these three dosage forms represented
by (48, 9.6%), (114,22.8%), (61, 12.2%) respectively. Over three quarters of participants
(403,80.6%) indicated they were aware of the negative impact of drug waste on the environment
and (343,68.6%) of participants denied they have knowledge about how to dispose of drugs. The
V
majority of the participants (385,77.0%) denied they receive any information on how to dispose of
the medication and nearly two thirds of participants (304,60.8%) suggested that medical team is
appropriate tool to give awareness for disposing medication
Conclusion: the majority of the participants kept the unused medications in their homes and they
admitted disposing of them in the garbage although the majority of them declared they were aware
of its negative impact on the environment. the government should increase awareness and develop
cost-effective medication waste management programs through upholding the pharmacists' role
which is able to educate the consumers about properly disposing of their medications and
establishing the Return Unwanted Medicines (RUM) Project through community pharmacy
services