Year: 2026 | Month: August | Volume: 16 | Issue: 8 | Pages: 128-139
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijhsr.20260814
Assessment of Knowledge, Attitude and Practice on Disposal of Unused and Expired Medications Among Dwellers of Selected Slums in Kolkata
Kalpana Gupta1, Kuntala Ray2, Mausumi Basu3
1Senior Resident, Alipurduar District Hospital, Alipurduar, West Bengal - 736121
2Professor & HOD, Dept. of Community Medicine, Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research, Kolkata.
3Professor and Head of Department, Dept. of Community Medicine, ICARE Institute of Medical Science and Research, Haldia, WB
Corresponding Author: Dr. Kuntala Ray
ABSTRACT
Background: Awareness about unused and expired medicines and its disposal practices is becoming a global concern due to environmental contamination and other health issues. Currently, there is not much data available in the community settings regarding knowledge, attitude and methods of medication disposal in India. The objectives were to evaluate the knowledge, attitude and practice about disposal of unused and expired medications among selected slum of Kolkata.
Materials And Methods: Community-based descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among selected urban slum dwellers in Kolkata over a period of 2 months. A total of 183 adult study participants were selected through Multistage random sampling, were interviewed using a pre-designed, pretested and structured schedule that includes sociodemographic variables and 29 questions on knowledge, attitude and practice. Pearson’s chi square test followed by Binary logistic regression was performed; considering p-value <0.05 to find out association.
Results: About 61.7% were males. The mean (±SD) age was 37 ± 11 years. While 65.5% (n=120) of the respondents heard about medication waste, 46.6% of them agrees that inappropriate disposal can cause potential harm. Merely 14.1% accepts that medication waste should not be disposed along with household waste. 46.6% showed positive attitude towards medication disposal. 68.3% (n = 82) of the respondents were having leftover medicines in their households, of which 100% dispose them by throwing in dustbin. Statistically significant association was found between education, socio-economic status and occupation with knowledge, whereas education and occupation with attitude.
Conclusions: The majority of slum dwellers had poor knowledge, a negative attitude, and inappropriate practices regarding the disposal of unused and expired medicines.
Key words: unused medications, expired medications, medication disposal, Kolkata, slum