Medicine

ABSTRACTNowadays community disposes numerous unused and expired medicines via general waste or sewerage. Expired drug causes toxicity risk which allows the active substance to undergo dreadful condition. Various agencies have given different guidelines meant for disposing of the unused and expired medications, but there exists some discrepancies among these guidelines. The present study was intended to assess the knowledge, awareness and practice among consumers towards safe disposal of unused and expired medication in Urban Area of Dehradun District. To determine the possible threat/consequence of unusual disposing of medication with respect to environment. This prospective and observational study involving with the consumer based on self structured questionnaire, which involves data related to their socio-demographic data, practice employed for the dispose, awareness related to the environmental hazards and opinion for proper disposing methods. The study was carried out in Urban Area of Dehradun district for 6 months. A total of 200 consumers were included in the study. Total of 200 participants, 18 were non-respondent. Out of 182 participants, 117(64.28%) were male while 65(35.71%) were female. Among 182 participants 64(35.16%) were from the age-group of 26-35 years. Most of the participants 79(43.40%) were having graduate in their education level. Fifty eight (31.86%) acknowledged that they keep drugs with them until expired and ninety eight (53.84%) acknowledged that they throw away expired medication in household garbage. Out of 182 participants, 174(95.60%) acknowledged that they note the expiry date on the medicines before purchasing. Sixty four (35.16%), 66(36.26%) and 75(41.20%) participants acknowledged method of disposal based on formulation type. One hundred forty seven (80.76%)participants out of 182 aware towards environmental hazards by unused and expired medication. Among 182 participants 67(36.81%) acknowledged that they utilized the take back prog

The objective of this study was to assessment the public knowledge, attitude and practice of medicine use in Sonipat city India. A cross-sectional study was conducted using a set of household interview questionnaire. 7% of respondents visited multiple facilities on the same day for the same aliment and 23% failed to go for follow up to the same facility.25% did not accept non-drug therapy and 92% preferred prescription of three or more medicines per visit. 9% did not inform the prescriber or dispenser about currently using medicine and 52% did not asked the side effect of medicines. A total of 60% were unaware that most medicines have side effects and 74% stopped taking their medicines when symptoms disappeared; 77% did not realize that the injections are riskiest dosage form, 13% had definite color and taste preferences;34% practiced self medication and 27% never consulted the dispenser; 21% choose medicines based on previous experience and 29% exchanged medicineswith others; 2% stored all their medicines in refrigerator and 24% did not check the expiry date; 64% threw unused medicines away; 28% kept them for future use and 8% returned them to a pharmacy or health facility. There is a widespread lack of knowledge about the appropriate use of medicines in Sonipat city. Certain attitude and beliefs can contribute to health risks and unnecessary expenditure. Most of the result can be improved by a well- targeted public education campaign.