Household Medicines Disposal Practices in Maiduguri, North-Eastern Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Availability and prompt access to medications are crucial for effective healthcare delivery, but the quantity of pharmaceutical waste generated from unwanted/unused and expired medications is of great concern globally. Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate the medicines disposal knowledge, attitudes and practice of the residents of Maiduguri metropolis, northeastern Nigeria. Methods: This cross-sectional, population-based survey was done using a pre-validated questionnaire, during a one-month (November) period of 2018. Conveniently selected residents of the 22 units or wards of the metropolis completed the survey instrument. Statistical analysis was performed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 21. The relationship between variables and demographics of the study population was investigated using the chi-square test. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: About 35.0% of the participants kept unused/unwanted medicines at home for future use/until expiration, followed by giving them to friends and relatives (30.2%). More than one-half (59.7%) of the study population got rid of expired medicine through household garbage, while a few (1.3%) gave them to friends/relatives and buried in the ground. There were relationships between participants’ gender, age, marital status, educational status and unused/unwanted medicine disposal practices. Similarly, there were relationships between participants’ gender, age, marital status and expired medicines disposal practices. Most (80.0%) of the study population knew the harmful impact of inappropriate discarding of expired and unused/unwanted medicines to public well-being and the environment. Conclusions: This study showed that the most common methods of disposal of unused/unwanted and expired medicine were keeping them for future use or until expiration, and throwing them in the household garbage respectively. The results have shown that a sizeable proportion of the participants were aware of the negative impact of improper disposal of medicines, although appropriate discarding behaviors were lacking, making it a priority for concerned authorities in our country to formulate and implement guidelines to protect public health and environment.