Department of Applied Pharmaceutical Sciences and Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Isra University, Amman, Jordan.
Int J Clin Pract. 2021 Mar;75(3):e13822. doi: 10.1111/ijcp.13822. Epub 2020 Nov 20.
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.
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.
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%).
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.
许多人对药物处置不当感到担忧，这对健康和野生动物都有负面影响。大多数药品消费者不知道未使用或过期药品的处理程序。本研究旨在探讨约旦个人对未使用、剩余或过期药物的处置和储存做法。
2019 年 7 月至 11 月期间，在约旦对报告家中有未使用、剩余或过期药物的患者进行了横断面研究。该问卷工具是基于一些关于药物回收的研究以及关于过期、不需要或未使用的药物的正确和安全处置的国际准则构建的。
共有 1092 名参与者纳入研究。他们的平均年龄为 32.4（SD=13.6）岁，56.8%（n=620）为男性。超过一半的参与者（58.1%，n=634）报告说他们家中有未使用、剩余或过期的药物。卧室、厨房和储藏室是报告的存放未使用、剩余或过期药物的三个最常见地点。药剂师是关于药物储存信息的主要来源。参与者报告家中有未使用/剩余药物的三个最常见原因是医生改变或停止用药（29.4%）、病情改善或缓解而自行停药（28.2%）和健忘（25.1%）。
很大一部分约旦人对未使用、剩余或过期的药物处理不当。有关当局需要对开具和分发药物进行更多限制，并且需要制定关于药物使用和正确处置的公共准则。
