Disposal Practices of Expired and Unused Medications Among Households in Punjab, Pakistan

Background: The practice of disposing expired or unused medications by different households is generally not considered and is largely neglected. Objective: The study was carried out to determine the disposal practices regarding expired and unused medications in rural areas of Punjab, Pakistan. Methods: The study was conducted by interviewing different households and students (rural areas) from different universities in Punjab, Pakistan. The sample size was 676 and the questionnaire was used for data collection. Results: Out of 676 members, 552 (81.6%) had medications at the time of the visit. Only 14.5% (n= 80) were taking medication. Only 14.5% (n = 80) kept medication because the treatment was still in progress with the patients while 85.5% (n= 472) had medications that should be discarded. The main reasons for keeping the unused medications at home were completed treatment 34.7% (n= 164) after recovering from ailment. About 60.57% of female disposed the drugs in domestic trash while majority of male participants (48.72%) buried the drugs in the ground. Over 80% of respondents (n = 542) were unaware of the disposal methods. Almost half of the participants (n= 322) had no information about the impact of improper disposal. Statistically significant variations (p<0.001) were observed in the disposal practices depending on gender, age, education and occupation. Conclusion: Improper disposal of medication is a common practice in rural areas of Punjab, Pakistan. The launch of public education programs and the development of drug disposal facilities are very necessary to protect the environment and community health.