LAUSR

BACKGROUND Improper disposal of expired or unused medications by different households is leading to disastrous effects on environment and community health. OBJECTIVE The study was carried out to determine the disposal practices regarding expired and unused medications in rural areas of Punjab, Pakistan. METHODS 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%) were having medications at the time of 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 have 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 upon gender, age, education and occupation. CONCLUSION Improper disposal of medication is a common practice in rural areas of Punjab, Pakistan. Public education programs and the development of medication disposal facilities should be initiated to protect the environment and improve community health.