Ecopharmacovigilance and Drug Disposal: A Survey of Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices Among Veterinary Healthcare Providers in and Around Gondar City, Ethiopia.

چکیده اصلی

BACKGROUND: Veterinary pharmaceuticals often enter into ecosystems through the disposal of unused and expired medicines and animal excreta. Consequently, these substances are emerging as a global threat, posing risks to ecosystems, biodiversity and public health. However, despite the increasing concerns attributed to veterinary pharmaceuticals, there is a lack of empirical data regarding awareness and practices related to ecopharmacovigilance (EPV) among veterinary professionals in Ethiopia. EPV is an emerging discipline focused on the detection, evaluation, understanding and the prevention of the environmental impacts of pharmaceuticals. This knowledge gap highlights the need for evidence-based assessment of veterinary professionals' awareness and practices of EPV in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aimed to assess veterinary professionals' knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) regarding EPV and pharmaceutical waste management. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted between January 2024 and May 2025 among 37 veterinary healthcare providers in and around Gondar City. The data were collected using a structured, self-administered questionnaire. Data were analysed using SPSS version 25 through descriptive statistics and chi-square tests to identify associations between socio-demographic characteristics and KAP indicators. RESULTS: The study found that 73% of respondents had never heard of EPV, 78.4% had not received relevant training, and 67.6% reported the absence of pharmaceutical disposal guidelines in their facilities. Although 94.6% acknowledged the harmful effects of improper drug disposal on human and environmental health, only 16.2% were familiar with the term EPV. Knowledge was marginally associated with reading scientific literature (p = 0.084), whereas attitudes were significantly related to prior knowledge (p = 0.001), training (p = 0.001) and reviewing related reports (p = 0.001). Practices were influenced by prior knowledge (p = 0.023) and engagement with literature (p = 0.032). About 40.5% of participants disposed of pharmaceuticals in regular trash, and only 27% returned unused drugs to appropriate authorities. Overall, 62.8% of respondent's demonstrated poor knowledge, 56.8% held negative attitudes, and practices were inadequate. CONCLUSION: This baseline study reveals low awareness of EPV and poor waste management practices among veterinary healthcare providers. The study shows the urgent need for targeted training, policy enforcement and the integration of environmental education into veterinary curricula in Ethiopia. This is necessary to promote responsible pharmaceutical stewardship and safeguard the environment and public health.

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