Study of knowledge, attitude, and practices of biomedical waste management among healthcare workers in tertiary care government hospital in western Maharashtra

Abstract

Background: Bio-medical wastes produced in the course of health care activities has a higher potential for infection and injury than any other type of waste among healthcare workers. Studies in India and other developing countries have shown lack of knowledge and poor practice of biomedical waste (BMW) management.Methods: This was an observational hospital-based cross-sectional study. Study group included 210 healthcare workers, which includes doctors, interns, nursing staff, laboratory technicians, and class IV workers. Study was done by using a semi-structured questionnaire. The data was analysed using Microsoft Excel 2016.Results: The majority of doctors (92%), interns (90%), nursing staff (93%) had adequate knowledge about BMW management, but lab technicians and class IV workers (70%) had poor knowledge. Among all health care workers (HCW), 50% of HCW attended the training for biomedical waste management, 46% of the HCW thought that BMW management is an extra burden on work. Except for nursing staff (100%), other healthcare workers (>55%) do not follow the color-coding of BMW.Conclusions: The study emphasizes the need to conduct periodic training among all healthcare workers about all aspects related to bio-medical waste management.

Biomedical waste management: assessment of knowledge, attitude and practice among health care workers

“…12 Knowledge about infectious sharp and needle disposal was found to be higher in doctors (70%) when compared to interns (40%) and nurses (50%) in a study conducted among healthcare workers in a tertiary care government hospital in western Maharashtra. 13 In contrast to our study, more than three-fourth of the residents were aware about colour coding of BMW and its segregation in a study conducted by Basu et al 14 Similar findings were obtained in a study conducted among post graduate residents in a tertiary care hospital in Lucknow. 15 In our study, knowledge about segregation into yellow coloured bags was good in all categories of participants but only 28% of subjects were aware about it in a study by Kishore et al 8 Knowledge about segregation into blue coded containers was seen in lesser proportion among all categories of our study population which is consistent with the findings in a study conducted in a tertiary care hospital in Puduchery.…”