Environmental risk assessment of highly prescribed pharmaceuticals: An educational strategy for proper disposal.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.46380/rias.v9.e611Keywords:
emerging contaminants, environmental education, pharmaceutical waste management, environmental impactAbstract
This study assessed the potential environmental risk of highly prescribed drugs at the General Hospital of Pachuca, Hidalgo, Mexico and analyzed the impact of an environmental education strategy aimed to the proper disposal of pharmaceutical wastes. Twenty active ingredients were selected and the Environmental and Health Risk Potential Assessment methodology was used to analyze them, considering parameters of environmental kinetics, exposure and potential effects. The five drugs with the highest risk were used to design and implement the workshop “Proper Disposal of Drugs”, conducted in two communities in Hidalgo: Real del Monte and Atotonilco el Grande. Structured surveys were administered before and after the intervention, and the results were analyzed using the statistical tests of Chi-square and McNemar. The results showed statistically significant improvements after the workshop, in the knowledge of the drugs, their disposal practices, and the perception of environmental and health risks included, with a greater impact in the community with lower levels of education. The findings showed that environmental education is an effective tool for promoting responsible practices in the proper disposal of drugs and contributes to the mitigation of their environmental impact.
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