Medications disposal and medications storage in Jordan: A cross‐sectional study

Abstract

Aims Many concerns arise from the improper disposal of medications, which is associated with a negative impact on health and wildlife. The majority of the consumers of pharmaceutical products remain unaware of the procedures of disposal of unused or expired medicines. This study aimed to explore the practices of Jordanian individuals regarding the disposal and storage of unused or expired medications. Methods A cross‐sectional study was conducted in Jordan for the period between July and November 2019 of patients who reported having unused, leftover or expired medications in their homes. The questionnaire tool was constructed based on a number of studies concerning medication recycling and international guidelines about correct and safe disposal of expired, unwanted or unused medication. Results A total of 1092 participants were included in the study. Their mean age was 32.4 (SD = 13.6) years and 56.8% (n = 620) were males. More than half of the participants (58.1%, n = 634) reported that they had unused, leftover or expired medications in their homes. The bedroom, kitchen and store room were the three most commonly reported places for the storage of unused, leftover or expired medications. The pharmacist was the main source for information regarding the storage of medications. The three most common reasons reported by the participants regarding having unused/leftover medications at home were change or discontinuation by the doctor (29.4%), self‐discontinuation as the illness symptoms improved or resolved (28.2%) and forgetfulness (25.1%). Conclusion A high percentage of the Jordanian population improperly handles their unused, leftover or expired medications. More restrictions are needed on the prescribing and dispensing of medications by the authorities concerned and there is a need to establish public guidelines regarding the use and correct disposal of pharmaceuticals.

Disposal of unused antibiotics as household waste: A social driver of antimicrobial resistance

“…Similar results were reported by Naser et al. (2020) in a cross‐sectional study in Jorden, 58.1% of respondents have unused antibiotics in their homes.…”

“…Naser et al. (2020) reported similar results in Jorden as 37.5% of respondents return the unused antibiotics to a pharmacy.…”

Household Drug Stockpiling and Panic Buying of Drugs During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Study From Jordan

“…An important finding from our study is that 73.7% of the buyers stated that they will keep unused drugs in the household until the expiry date passes, despite their knowledge of the safety concerns that this might pose if drugs were not stored or disposed of properly. A cross-sectional study from Jordan by Naser et al shows that most households in Jordan inappropriately deal with the drugs in their household in terms of storage or disposal ( Naser et al, 2021 ).…”

Household Pharmaceutical Waste Disposal as a Global Problem—A Review

“…On the other hand, most patients are aware that throwing unwanted medications into the trash or pouring them into the sewage system has a negative impact on the environment and health. For example, in Jordan, 72.5% of participants said they knew that the improper disposal of medications could harmfully affect the environment and health [ 72 ], and 0.86% of households in the US said that flushing unwanted medications down the toilet or sink may result in medications contaminating the water supply or negatively impacting the environment [ 52 ]. These results are comparable with the results obtained for the populations of Ethiopia, Malaysia, Afghanistan and Portugal [ 23 , 24 , 25 , 49 , 65 ].…”

“…Respondents indicate that it should be the responsibility of health care professionals and pharmacists to provide information on the handling of household pharmaceutical waste [ 72 , 85 ]. Providing appropriate guidance, in the opinion of respondents, could control or minimize medication wastage [ 25 ].…”