Knowledge and practices of household medicine storage and disposal in Syria: a population-based, cross-sectional study – BMC Public Health

This research investigated the awareness and practices of the Syrian community regarding the proper disposal and storage of medicines. Our extensive research shows that although a large proportion of participants keep medicines in their original containers (95%) and always check expiry dates before use (94%), there are and a large gap to consult with pharmacists for proper storage instructions, with only 30%. to do so. In addition, improper disposal methods, such as disposing of expired medicines in the garbage (90.7%), were common among the participants. Women, people older than 30 years, and those with a secondary or high school education were more likely to participate in safe medicine storage practices.

Despite widespread awareness of the importance of checking expiration dates, our study showed that only a few go to pharmacists for proper storage instructions. This practice should be strengthened and encouraged in the community, as pharmacists play an important role in educating people about medication safety. Previous studies have shown that many businesses do not provide adequate instructions on how to dispose of medications [8, 9]. Therefore, it is important for health care providers, especially entrepreneurs, to take an active role in educating the public about proper medicine storage and medicine disposal methods.

The high rate of participants choosing to discard the medication when it is finished (87%) is consistent with other studies conducted in the Middle East. [3, 6, 8, 10, 11]. In addition, the practice of saving medication for later use, observed in a large part of our sample, may be related to the widespread practice of self-medication in the area. [12, 13].

Our study also found that women, participants over the age of 30, and those with a secondary or higher education are more likely to verify expiration dates and read storage instructions. of medicine. This trend can be explained by the fact that the majority of these participants may be mothers, who may pay more attention to the details related to their children’s health, as stated in similar studies conducted Turkey. [14, 15].

Participants aged 21-30, mainly university students, were less likely to search for storage instructions or expiration dates, possibly due to trust in their education. On the other hand, those with only primary education were more inclined to seek expert advice, realizing its importance.

Fridges were often used to store medicines, especially suppositories, and most of the participants carried medicines in their handbags while travelling, following practices seen in Saudi Arabia. [1].

Our study also revealed a large gap in the proper supply of medicines in Syria, with only 11% returning medicines to pharmacies compared to 73% in Sweden. [16]. This points to the need for better awareness and involvement of pharmacists in educating the public. In addition, 36% of participants saved medicine for future use, citing convenience and economic problems, which is lower than the 47.2% reported in Sudan. [17].

Our survey found that 87% of participants threw expired prescriptions into the garbage, a higher percentage than the 75.2% reported in Northern Ethiopia. [18]. This may indicate a lack of knowledge about the environmental and health risks of improper disposal, emphasizing the need for better public education on this issue. Only 3% returned the medicine to the pharmacy, and 1% burned it.

Unlike the study in Saudi Arabia where antibiotics (26%) were the most stored drugs, 95% of our participants reported storing painkillers and antipyretics, probably due to self-medication practices driven by economic problems. [19, 20]. In addition, 31% of our participants kept medication in the refrigerator, compared to 42% in the Saudi study, possibly due to better storage facilities and awareness in Saudi Arabia. Notably, 77.4% of participants in our study stored suppositories in the refrigerator, which is appropriate given their sensitivity to heat.

A large proportion of 94% of the participants in our study checked the expiration dates of medicines, which is much higher than the 59.2% and 59.5% reported in Ethiopia and Nepal, respectively. [2, 21]. This difference may be due to different levels of awareness about the risks associated with expired medications.

Surprisingly, we did not find a significant difference between the medical staff and the general public regarding the correct methods of storing medicines. This unexpected result may be due to the general population’s access to online medical information and their concern about family health to increase their health knowledge. [22]which may compensate for their lack of formal medical training.

Strengths and weaknesses of the study

This study is the first of its kind in Syria, and serves as an important starting point for increasing awareness of proper medicine disposal and storage methods. The findings may influence future research and public health initiatives aimed at addressing the drug system in Syria. In addition, the study’s sample size of 2,417 participants is much larger than similar studies conducted in this area, which enhances the reliability and generalizability of the results. [16,17,18,19].

However, there are several limitations to consider. The sample is highly skewed, with 79% of participants being women, which may introduce gender bias in the analysis and interpretation of results. Furthermore, the demographic breakdown reveals that 80% of the sample consists of undergraduates, and 50% is from the medical faculty. This over-representation of students, especially those in the medical field, may not accurately reflect the knowledge and attitudes of the population, which may limit the generality of the findings.

Furthermore, the inclusion of multiple members from the same family may introduce bias, as their responses may be influenced by shared experiences and knowledge. The study was also conducted online, excluding people without internet access, which may bias the sample towards highly educated or urban populations. Finally, the sample was drawn largely from three governorates, which may not reflect the diversity of practices across Syria.