Educational intervention using a brochure on the proper disposal of medications

Abstract

Objective: To assess the knowledge of Nursing, Pharmacy, and Dentistry residents regarding the proper disposal of medications before and after an intervention mediated by an informational leaflet. Methods: This descriptive study with an educational intervention was conducted with residents from the Ceará School of Public Health between November 2025 and February 2026. Twenty-five residents completed a pre-test addressing healthcare waste management, environmental impacts, household disposal practices, and health and environmental legislation. After the leaflet was made available, 13 participants completed the post-test. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, with absolute and relative frequencies. Results: Heterogeneous knowledge was identified, with gaps related to proper disposal locations, household practices, and health and environmental legislation. Among the 13 participants who completed both stages, the proportion of correct answers increased only in the information sources dimension, decreased in the proper disposal locations dimension, and remained unchanged in the other dimensions assessed. Conclusion: Residents showed heterogeneous knowledge regarding the proper disposal of medications, with no consistent improvement after the educational intervention. Sample attrition and the absence of inferential analysis limited the interpretation of the results, indicating the need to combine the leaflet with continuous educational strategies within health residency training programs and clinical settings.