title: Consumer perceptions about a community pharmacy-based medication take back program.
abstract: The stockpiling and improper disposal of unused or expired medications has the potential to harm the environment and humans. Community-based medication take-back programs have been established to ensure proper disposal of unused drugs; however, few of these programs present consumers' perceptions about the program. Therefore, the main aims of this pilot study are 1) to assess the users' and non-users' perceptions about a medication take-back program and 2) to determine if perceptions differ between users and non-users. The results are based on a survey administered to 35 users and 20 non-users of a medication take-back program located at a community pharmacy in Texas. The majority of users were participating in a take-back service for the first time. Though most non-users had never participated in a take-back program, they would consider participating in the future. All users viewed the medication take-back program as a valuable service, while nearly all (90%) non-users viewed the program as a potentially valuable service. The primary reason for participating in the service was to protect the environment. Most respondents (users and non-users) were likely to choose a pharmacy that provides the take-back service more than a pharmacy that does not. More than half of respondents positively viewed paying for the service on a per weight basis. In comparison to non-users, users were significantly older, had more favorable perceptions about paying for the service, and were more likely to choose a pharmacy that provides the service. This pilot study presents overall favorable user perceptions toward medication-take back services and supports the need to establish more community-based take back programs to meet the needs of consumers.
authors.affiliation: Health Outcomes and Pharmacy Practice Division, The University of Texas at Austin, College of Pharmacy, 2409 University Avenue STOP A 1930, Austin, TX 78712-1120, USA. avthach@utexas.edu
authors.forename: Andrew V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Thach
authors.forename: Carolyn M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: Nathan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pope
mesh_terms: D003256:Community Participation / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations; D010594:Pharmacies; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012941:Social Responsibility; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013781:Texas; D018505:Waste Management
chemical_list: D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations
keywords: Consumer perception; Environment; Medication disposal; Medication take-back