Table 3.
Ideal and practical medicine disposal techniques according to patients (N=171)
| Number of patients, n (%) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| ||||
| Low level of education | High level of education | Totals | P | |
| Patients’ disposal practices of medicines* | ||||
| Flush down the toilet | 21 (12.3) | 23 (13.4) | 44 (25.7) | 0.760 |
| Flush down the basin | 5 (2.9) | 5 (2.9) | 10 (5.8) | 0.958 |
| Municipal bin | 12 (7.0) | 29 (16.9) | 41 (23.9) | 0.003 |
| Pit toilet | 18 (10.5) | 10 (5.9) | 28 (16.4) | 0.920 |
| Return to a health-care facility | 8 (4.7) | 4 (2.3) | 12 (7.0) | 0.186 |
| Burning it | 7 (4.1) | 3 (1.7) | 10 (5.8) | 0.186 |
| Bury it underground | 5 (2.9) | 2 (1.2) | 7 (4.1) | 0.241 |
| Give to friends and family | 0 | 1 (0.6) | 1 (0.6) | 0.319 |
| Patients’ ideal way to dispose of medicines* | ||||
| Dissolve in boiling water and pour down the drain | 34 (19.9) | 32 (18.7) | 66 (38.6) | 0.708 |
| Return to health-care facility | 26 (15.2) | 19 (11.1) | 45 (26.3) | 0.207 |
| Designated task team collecting from each household | 19 (11.1) | 24 (14.0) | 43 (25.1) | 0.403 |
| In special collection containers | 3 (1.8) | 7 (4.1) | 10 (5.9) | 0.199 |
| National pharmaceutical disposal scheme | 2 (1.2) | 3 (1.8) | 5 (3.0) | 0.659 |
* Patients were allowed more than one response; levels of education defined in the methodology