Knowledge and Practices of Unused Medicine Storage and Disposal Among University Students: A Study in the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka

The escalating global population underscores the increasing demand for medicines, leading to a surge in pharmaceutical waste (PW) from various sources. Improper disposal leads to significant environmental and health risks, resulting from inadequate awareness, particularly in developing countries. This research focuses on evaluating the knowledge and practices of unused medicine storage and disposal among undergraduate students at the University of Peradeniya. This study was a questionnaire-based, cross-sectional study where the sample was undergraduate students studying at the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka (N = 407). Participants were classified into medical and non-medical groups, where the latter had a greater representation. Responses were summarized using de-scriptive statistics and analyzed using SPSS 25.0. Most participants reported having 1 to 5 types of unused medications stored in their homes, hostel rooms, or boarding rooms. The main reason for discontinuing medication use was improvement in medical conditions, along with factors such as therapy changes and medication expiration. While students were generally compliant with prescribed treatments, they also relied on over-the-counter sources. Despite being aware of the potential harm caused by improper disposal, many lacked information on proper disposal practices. Storage practices varied, with only 31.0% consistently using a medication box. The levels of knowledge showed a breakdown of 6.6% 'Very low', 27.5% 'Low', 44.7% 'Moderate' and 21.1% 'Good'. Most students had an awareness of the harmful effects of incorrect disposal practices. Males showed higher knowledge than females regarding correct storage and disposal practices. Therefore, this shows a lack of knowledge, and incorrect practices followed by the students which should be addressed to reduce harmful effects caused by incorrect practices.