Assessment of medicines and potential pharmaceutical wastes management among households in Lamongan, Indonesia

Abstract

Background: Storing medicines at home has been linked with irrational use, misuse, and pharmaceutical waste leading to an increased burden on the health system. Objective: This study examined the practice of storing and handling medicines at home, calculated the potential economic loss of pharmaceutical wastes, and measured the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of household medicine management. Method: A cross-sectional household survey using a pre-validated ReDiUM (Return and Disposal of Unused Medications) questionnaire was conducted in Lamongan, Indonesia. A convenience sampling of 100 families was done and the findings were subsequently analysed. Results: A low portion of families (37%) obtained medicines from authorised pharmacies. The majority (68%) mentioned that housewives managed the medicines at home. More than half (57%) stated that they still keep the leftover medicines and only one-third of the respondents (37%) stored them in the medicine basket. As a result, potential economic loss was estimated at around $2 per family. The Spearman rank correlation coefficient test showed a strong positive association between knowledge and attitude (p < 0.05) Conclusion: Management of medicines at home has been an underrated topic within contemporary pharmacy research despite its potential threat to community health.