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

Abstract

Background: The waste produced in healthcare activities carries a high potential for infection and injury than any other type of waste. Inadequate knowledge of biomedical waste (BMW) management can lead to serious health consequences and an adverse impact on environment. The aim of this study is to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of BMW management among healthcare workers of government T. D. medical college, Alappuzha. Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted among staff and students of government T. D. medical college, Alappuzha. Stratified sampling was done and data was collected using semi structured questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 26 software. Results: The majority of faculty and nurses had good knowledge about segregation of waste into yellow and red coded bags. Nurses, students and residents had good knowledge about waste disposal into white coded containers whereas into blue coded containers was seen in lesser proportion among all categories of health care workers. All the nurses and majority of the faculty had corrected attitude towards BMW management. Assessment of practice revealed that 50% of the nurses practiced proper BMW management and the proportion was much lower among all other categories of health care workers. Conclusions: Knowledge about infectious plastic waste and sharp waste disposal was low among students and faculty respectively. Knowledge about metallic and glassware disposal was low among all categories of health care workers. Attitude towards BMW management was low among students and residents and its practice was inadequate among all categories of health care workers.