title: A focus group based study of the perspectives of the Maltese population and healthcare professionals on medication wastage.
abstract: Background The World Health Organization states that globally more than half of all medication is inappropriately prescribed, dispensed or sold with a need to implement wastage reduction strategies. Developing processes which include behaviour change theories, such as the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF), significantly impacts the positive implementation of evidence into healthcare practice. Objective To describe and understand the beliefs and behaviours regarding medication wastage of the Maltese public and healthcare professionals (HCPs) and to explore potential solutions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Malta. Method Five 90 min audio recorded focus groups (2 public and 3 HCPs) were conducted with a purposive sample who responded to a previous survey study and were willing to participate in focus groups in Malta. The guide was based upon the TDF with interview questions derived from findings of the questionnaire phase. Focus groups were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Analysis was carried using the framework approach. Main outcome measure Beliefs and behaviours regarding medication wastage and potential solutions to reduce medication wastage. Results A total of eleven pharmacists, six doctors and six members of the public consented to participate. Focus groups conducted with HCPs and the general public identified the following four key themes aligned with the TDF domains to address proposed solutions to minimise medication wastage: (1) practitioner effects; (2) patients effects; (3) political effects; (4) societal effects. Conclusion This study has employed a theoretical framework to obtain a better understanding of facilitators which require attention as part of strategic development.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health and Social Care, School of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, UK. l.m.west@rgu.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Lorna Marie
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: West
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health and Social Care, School of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, UK.
authors.forename: Lesley
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Diack
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Malta, Msida, Malta.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cordina
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health and Social Care, School of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, UK.
authors.forename: Derek
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stewart
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups / Q000379:methods; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008319:Malta / Q000453:epidemiology; D017744:Medical Waste Disposal / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D017744:Medical Waste Disposal; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations
keywords: Awareness; Behaviour; Focus groups; Healthcare professionals; Malta; Medication wastage