{
  "abstract": "Background and Importance Inappropriate disposal of unused medications poses significant environmental and health risks globally. Although the country of study setting has regulations classifying medications as hazardous waste requiring sorting, and provides public disposal guidelines, data on handling practices among general public are limited. Specifically, there is a lack of research examining the practices of the Health Promotion Hospitals (HPHs), and municipalities responsible for community waste management.Aim and Objectives This study aimed to identify the disposal practices of unused medications among the general public, HPHs, and municipalities, and to determine factors influencing proper disposal practices among the general public.Material and Methods Data were collected from three groups: 1) the general public (N=500), 2) all HPHs in the province (N=79), and 3) three municipalities representing sub-district, town, and city levels, respectively. Validated questionnaires were used for the general public and the HPHs. Response to the survey was done through Google forms using the QR code scan. Semi-structured interviews were used for the municipalities. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and multiple logistic regression to explore predictors of proper disposal.Results The most common disposal method among the general public was placing unused medications in regular trash bins with intact packaging (65.2%). One-fifth returned them to hospitals including HPHs. Factors significantly associated with appropriate disposal practices were older age (OR 3.98; 95% CI 1.48, 10.69), being female (OR 1.82; 95% CI 1.04, 3.19), and having received disposal information (OR 9.04; 95% CI 5.15, 15.88). Of the HPHs that responded (54/79), the majority reported proper disposal, primarily through hazardous waste receivers, 51% of which were further managed by outsource agency. All participating municipalities lacked specific household medication waste management and relied entirely on HPHs.Conclusion and Relevance The majority of the general public improperly discarded unused medications. Interventions should target younger populations and males, emphasising the influence of access to the disposal guidance. While HPHs demonstrated high compliance, the lack of policies and management system within municipalities highlighted a gap in the comprehensive local medication waste management.References and/or Acknowledgements The study was funded by the Faculty of Pharmacy, Thammasat University. We are grateful to all participating general public, HPHs, and municipalities for their contributions in the study.Conflict of Interest No conflict of interest",
  "authors": [
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Faculty of Pharmacy- Thammasat University Rangsit, Pharmaceutical Care, Pathumtani, Thailand"
      ],
      "name": "K Kongchat"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Faculty of Pharmacy- Thammasat University Rangsit, Pharmaceutical Care, Pathumtani, Thailand"
      ],
      "name": "N Seangon"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Faculty of Pharmacy- Thammasat University Rangsit, Pharmaceutical Care, Pathumtani, Thailand"
      ],
      "name": "N Jantrakool"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Faculty of Pharmacy- Thammasat University Rangsit, Pharmaceutical Care, Pathumtani, Thailand"
      ],
      "name": "J Pongwecharak"
    }
  ],
  "title": "2SPD-012 A survey of disposal practices of unused medications in general public and health promotion hospitals, and management of medications discarded from household by the municipalities",
  "uid": "5838fd0f-d722-5fcf-938b-27e49e86e028"
}