Educational campaign for proper medication disposal.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the effect of an educational intervention on pharmacists' attitudes and knowledge about medication disposal.


METHODS
In September 2005, a survey was mailed to 488 registered pharmacists serving as experiential education preceptors to Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences students in 27 states throughout the country. Mailing of this presurvey occurred 2 months before an educational intervention. An identical postsurvey was mailed to the 223 respondents to the presurvey 3 months after the intervention. The main outcome measure was change in pharmacist attitudes and knowledge about medication disposal after educational intervention.


RESULTS
158 pharmacists (32% response rate) completed the pre- and postsurveys. Before the intervention, 47% of pharmacists perceived inappropriate medication disposal to be an environmental problem compared with 57% after the intervention (P = 0.03). Similarly, when asked about medication disposal, 10% correctly indicated that patients could arrange for hazardous waste pick up compared with 20% postintervention (P < 0.01). Conversely, 19% incorrectly indicated that patients should wash medications down the sink compared with 5.6% postintervention (P < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
A brief educational intervention is effective at changing pharmacists' attitudes and knowledge of inappropriate and environmentally unsafe medication disposal practices. Pharmacists receiving the educational intervention were more likely to report that they would recommend appropriate methods of medication disposal. Further educational efforts are necessary for improving pharmacists' knowledge regarding safe medication disposal practices.
Jarvis
Courtney I
CI
School of Pharmacy, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Worcester, MA 01608-1715, USA. court-ney.jarvis@mcphs.edu
Seed
Sheila M
SM
Silva
Matthew
M
Sullivan
Karyn M
KM
D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003625:Data Collection; D004513:Education, Pharmacy, Continuing; D004787:Environmental Pollution / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008404:Massachusetts; D017744:Medical Waste Disposal / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D008875:Middle Aged; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations; D010593:Pharmaceutical Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D010595:Pharmacists / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult
D017744:Medical Waste Disposal; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations