Mostafanejad Reyhaneh, Ghassab-Abdollahi Nafiseh, Derakhshani Naser, Rezapour Ramin
Student Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
Department of Health Policy and Management, School of Management and Medical Informatics, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
Sci Rep. 2025 May 5;15(1):15714. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-00376-w.
Improper use and disposal of medications pose substantial risks to both public health and the environment. Although medication take-back programs are recognized as effective solutions to address these concerns, public awareness remains low, and such programs are currently unavailable in Iran. The study, conducted between February and May 2024, used a validated 40-item questionnaire to assess the Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (KAP) of households regarding the disposal of unused and expired medications. The study revealed moderate knowledge levels (median = 58.82, interquartile range [IQR] = 88.2) and relatively positive attitudes (median = 85.71, IQR = 51.7) among participants. However, a notable discrepancy was observed between positive attitudes and actual practice, with 51.1% of households reporting disposal of unused medications in household waste. A weak negative correlation was found between older age and knowledge score (r = -0.129, p = 0.001), and a very weak negative correlation was observed between older age and attitude score (r = -0.078, p = 0.049). Higher knowledge scores were observed among participants with middle monthly incomes, those with post-secondary education (including Secondary education and students), and those living in three-member households. More positive attitudes were associated with Post-secondary education and households consisting of three or four members. To improve medication disposal practices, public health interventions should focus on raising awareness about the environmental and health risks of improper disposal and promoting proper disposal methods. This includes organizing community medication collection events and advocating for the establishment of nationwide medication take-back programs. The negative correlation between age and knowledge suggests that these interventions should specifically target older adults and individuals with lower levels of education.
药物的不当使用和处置对公众健康和环境都构成了重大风险。尽管药物回收计划被认为是解决这些问题的有效办法，但公众意识仍然较低，而且伊朗目前没有此类计划。该研究于2024年2月至5月进行，使用经过验证的40项问卷来评估家庭在未使用和过期药物处置方面的知识、态度和行为（KAP）。研究发现参与者的知识水平中等（中位数 = 58.82，四分位间距[IQR] = 88.2），态度相对积极（中位数 = 85.71，IQR = 51.7）。然而，在积极态度与实际行为之间观察到明显差异，51.1%的家庭报告将未使用的药物丢弃在生活垃圾中。年龄与知识得分之间存在弱负相关（r = -0.129，p = 0.001），年龄与态度得分之间存在非常弱的负相关（r = -0.078，p = 0.049）。月收入中等的参与者、具有高等教育学历（包括中等教育和学生）的参与者以及生活在三人家庭中的参与者知识得分更高。更积极的态度与高等教育学历以及由三或四名成员组成的家庭相关。为改善药物处置行为，公共卫生干预应侧重于提高对不当处置的环境和健康风险的认识，并推广正确的处置方法。这包括组织社区药物收集活动，并倡导建立全国性的药物回收计划。年龄与知识之间的负相关表明，这些干预应特别针对老年人和教育水平较低的个体。
