Assessment of Knowledge about Healthcare Risk Waste Management at a Tertiary Hospital in the Northern Cape Province, South Africa

Abstract

This study aimed at assessing the knowledge about healthcare risk waste (HCRW) management among doctors, professional nurses, pharmacists and laboratory technicians, in accordance with National Environmental Management, Waste Act 59 of 2008, Constitution of South Africa and sustainable development goals (SDG). The quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted, using self-administered questionnaires and stratified random sampling was used. Data was analyzed using the descriptive and inferential statistics. One hundred and forty-four participants were included in the study. The majority 90.28% of the participants were aged 19–50 years, females (71%), professional nurses (36%), and they had 1–10 years of experience (71%). The health professionals were knowledgeable of sharps waste (89%), slightly over (52%) knew anatomical waste, whereas (27%) and (17%) knew radioactive and cytotoxic waste, respectively. Health professionals (92%) agreed that the sharps-waste container should be disposed of in a yellow bin container, at least (63%) and (27%) agreed that red liner and box should be used for both infectious non anatomical waste and for cytotoxic waste. The null hypothesis was tested on knowledge versus age, profession and gender, and evidence against it was found on waste storage period in all three variables where chi-square and Fisher exact p-values were less than the 5% significant level. More attention should be directed towards similar HCRW management training at the hospital for all health professionals and behavior modification. The hospital management must ensure that HCRW-trained health professionals and HCRW management officials put into practice what they have learnt.

Conocimientos sobre clasificación de residuos hospitalarios en profesionales de enfermería que trabajan en diferentes IPSs de Cartagena

“…Por otro lado, otros estudios como el realizado por Mamani, encontró que un 68,6% del personal de enfermería tienen un nivel de conocimiento bueno y el 31,4% es deficiente en cuanto al manejo de residuos sólidos hospitalarios [6]. Al igual, que el realizado en un hospital terciario en la provincia del Cabo Septentrional, Sudáfrica, donde más de la mitad (51,39%) de los participantes se calificaron a sí mismos con un conocimiento promedio sobre la a gestión de residuos de riesgo sanitario, estos fueron el 57,89% de los médicos, el 48,08% de los profesionales de enfermería, el 60% de los farmacéuticos y 46,15% de los técnicos de laboratorio [15]. Finalmente, en Dhaka, Bangladesh, se reportó que casi un tercio de los médicos y enfermeras, dos tercios de los tecnólogos y el personal de limpieza tenían conocimientos inadecuados [16].…”

O gerenciamento de resíduo de saúde no contexto hospitalar: uma análise sobre o conhecimento dos profissionais de saúde

“…A predominância do sexo feminino no contexto hospitalar também é, inclusive, uma realidade de outros países, como a África do Sul, conforme identificado em um estudo realizado na Província do Cabo Setentrional. Esta mesma predominância também foi encontrada em um estudo realizado no norte da Índia (Souza et al, 2020;Motatla & Maluleke 2021;Singh et al, 2020).…”

Investigation of students’ comfort and adaptation in university dormitories in humid subtropical climatic area in winter in Chongqing, China

“…All the participants in the single rooms and double rooms were informed about the study, its objectives and aim before the consent was signed. Confidentiality and anonymity were ensured by asking the subjects not to write their names or any information related to their personal details in the questionnaire (Motlatla & Maluleka, 2021). The questionnaires were destroyed after the completion of data analysis.…”

“…Analyses of the data were performed in Microsoft Office Excel 2007 software using descriptive and inferential statistics. Data were cleaned and entered (Motlatla & Maluleka, 2021). T-test statistics was used to test statistical difference at 95% intervals and p-values (p < 0.05).…”