Disposal practices of unused medication among the public in Meradong, Sarawak, Malaysia

Inadequate knowledge on unused medication disposal negatively influences human safety and the environment. The objectives of this study were to assess the practice of unused medication disposal and awareness of the Return Your Medicine Program among public in Malaysia. This cross-sectional study was carried out in Meradong, Sarawak, using a self-administered questionnaire in a sample of 382 respondents. The association between sociodemographic variables and level of awareness was assessed by the chi-square test using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22. The most cited reason for storing unused medications was condition resolved (28.7%). The majority (79.6%) of the respondents were not aware of the Return Your Medicine Program. There was a statistically significant difference in practice level across ethnicity (p<0.043), highest education level (p<0.002), and occupation (p<0.003) categories. The enrolled members from the public were not fully aware of the appropriate ways to dispose unused medication and the Return Your Medicine Program.