A systematic review of the knowledge, attitude and practice of healthcare professionals and healthcare professional students towards household pharmaceutical waste disposal.

IF 1.8 Q3 PHARMACOLOGY & PHARMACY Exploratory research in clinical and social pharmacy Pub Date : 2024-12-19 eCollection Date: 2025-03-01 DOI:10.1016/j.rcsop.2024.100556

Sheng Yuan Hiew, Bee Yean Low

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Abstract

Background: Active pharmaceutical residues introduced into the environment through irresponsible household disposal of unused and expired medication can damage nature and health. Through medication take-back programmes, these risks can be mitigated. However, healthcare professionals' neglect of their responsibility to ensure proper disposal practices has perpetuated subpar norms among the public.

Objectives: The objectives of this systematic review were to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice of household pharmaceutical waste disposal among healthcare professionals and healthcare professional students as well as to compare their respective levels of knowledge, attitude and practice.

Methods: A systematic search of published articles from 2014 to 2023 in three online journal databases (Pubmed, Scopus, and Web of Science) yielded an initial pool of 10,381 records, which was narrowed down by title and abstract screening to 46 relevant publications for full-text examination and the final inclusion of 21 papers for data extraction and synthesis.

Results: The findings revealed deficiencies in academic curricula and medication disposal training, leading to inadequate knowledge and perceptions among healthcare professionals. Many healthcare professionals consider public education about safe medication disposal practices to be outside their job descriptions, leading to infrequent communication of medication disposal methods to their consumers and service users. Additionally, inadequate and inaccessible infrastructure further hinders proper medication disposal practices despite awareness of the consequences.

Conclusions: This study provides insights for policymakers and educators to address these and enhance healthcare professionals' participation in improving safe medication disposal practices. Efforts to strengthen training programmes, incorporate comprehensive education on medication disposal into curricula, and improve infrastructure for safe medication disposal are essential to effectively address the issue of household pharmaceutical waste disposal.

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