The management of unused and expired medications in Thai households: Influencing factors and prevailing practices.

Publisher: Public Library of Science Country of Publication: United States NLM ID: 101285081 Publication Model: eCollection Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1932-6203 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 19326203 NLM ISO Abbreviation: PLoS One Subsets: MEDLINE

Original Publication: San Francisco, CA : Public Library of Science

Pharmaceutical Preparations* ; Waste Management*/methods; Female ; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Thailand

Objective: Although the improper disposal of unused and expired medications represents a global environmental concern, its significance is often underestimated. This research delves into the practices and factors related to the management of unused and expired medications.
Methods: Data was collected through a comprehensive survey of Thai households, with 400 structured questionnaires. Multiple regression was then employed to analyze the data.
Results: Findings show an intriguing paradox. The participants in the survey demonstrated commendable knowledge regarding the appropriate management of unused or expired medications. Yet, this knowledge was not sufficiently put into practice. This study identifies the factors that have a positive influence on proper medication disposal practices, such as age, level of education, attitude, and perception. Surveyed participants exhibited a tendency to retain unused medications and discard expired ones with household waste. Most of them showed a low degree of medication management, pointing to the need for targeted interventions.
Conclusion: This research provides tangible benefits for policymakers, healthcare practitioners, and researchers addressing waste management paradigms. In terms of policy, the study highlights the need for comprehensive interventions, including medication take-back systems, infrastructure development, and educational initiatives. Policymakers are urged to bridge the gap between knowledge and behavior by promoting access to collection points for proper medication disposal to avoid perpetuating the cycle of suboptimal medication management. This research informs strategies to encourage responsible medication management practices globally, addressing the adverse environmental and health impacts associated with the improper accumulation of medications.
Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
(Copyright: © 2024 Srijuntrapun, Maluangnon. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Bull World Health Organ. 2017 Aug 1;95(8):594-598. (PMID: 28804171)
Saudi Pharm J. 2018 Jan;26(1):7-13. (PMID: 29379327)
J Pharm Policy Pract. 2022 Dec 30;15(1):107. (PMID: 36585685)
Environ Manage. 2019 Oct;64(4):509-519. (PMID: 31399770)
Aust Prescr. 2018 Jun;41(3):78-81. (PMID: 29922002)
Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther. 2020 Aug;18(8):697-699. (PMID: 32281427)
Pharmacy (Basel). 2018 Aug 29;6(3):. (PMID: 30158484)
J Pharm Policy Pract. 2018 Nov 15;11:27. (PMID: 30459955)
J Int Med Res. 2018 Mar;46(3):927-939. (PMID: 29322845)
PLoS One. 2022 May 19;17(5):e0268200. (PMID: 35587932)
BMC Public Health. 2017 Jan 7;17(1):45. (PMID: 28061902)
PLoS One. 2022 Aug 4;17(8):e0272635. (PMID: 35925995)
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 Aug 16;20(16):. (PMID: 37623170)
J Basic Clin Pharm. 2016 Dec;8(1):4-7. (PMID: 28104967)
Heliyon. 2020 Jul 29;6(7):e04551. (PMID: 32760838)
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 Jan 27;17(3):. (PMID: 32012703)
Front Med (Lausanne). 2022 May 19;9:884482. (PMID: 35665362)
Curr Drug Saf. 2020;15(1):13-19. (PMID: 31593533)
J Infect Public Health. 2015 Jan-Feb;8(1):37-46. (PMID: 25139454)
Saudi Pharm J. 2022 Feb;30(2):172-179. (PMID: 35528849)
J Environ Public Health. 2020 Apr 14;2020:6725423. (PMID: 32351582)

0 (Pharmaceutical Preparations)

Date Created: 20240827 Date Completed: 20240827 Latest Revision: 20241001

20250114

PMC11349084

10.1371/journal.pone.0309266

39190631