Interventions to Address Improper Disposal Practices of Unused and Expired Household Medications: A Systematic Review

The improper disposal of unused and expired medications poses a significant threat of environmental contamination, public health risks, and economic burdens. Therefore, interventions to address this issue are necessary. This review aims to identify the effectiveness of interventions in improving the proper disposal of unused and expired household medications. Systematic review of randomized controlled trials. The review was conducted in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. A comprehensive literature search was conducted using the PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases until July 2024 for randomized controlled studies evaluating interventions to improve household medication disposal practices. No publication year restrictions were applied. Two reviewers independently screened the studies, extracted the data, and assessed the outcomes. A qualitative data synthesis was employed. Of 112 retrieved articles, nine met the inclusion criteria and were eligible for analysis. Four studies utilized home medication disposal kits, one study employed a medication take-back program, and two studies used educational materials such as leaflets or videos. The remaining two studies employed a combination of interventions: one integrated a pamphlet with incentives, whereas the other provided medication disposal bags alongside an informative web-based resource. Both the medication take-back program intervention and the combination of medication disposal bags with web resources demonstrated consistent effectiveness. The interventions implemented had variable effects in terms of both direction and extent on improving the proper disposal of unused and expired household medications. To achieve consistent and positive outcomes, developing interventions that include personalized feedback is essential for enhancing the proper disposal practices of these medications.