Hospital Wastes Handlers’ Understanding of Medical Waste in Selected Hospitals in Ota, Nigeria

Abstract

The study assessed waste handlers’ understanding of hospital waste components, in order to provide information that would inform policy intervention. Data was collected through questionnaire administration. There were thirty-eight (38) hospitals distributed across five (5) political wards in Ota Township. Twenty-five per cent of the hospitals were sampled, two hospitals in each ward, making ten altogether. Questionnaires were administered to all forty-nine waste handlers in the surveyed hospitals. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The study established that only 8.2% and 14.3% of waste handlers were informed on colour-coded storage receptacles for pharmaceutical and sharp materials respectively. Though 46.9% of waste handlers knew that pathological, pharmaceutical, sharps and infectious wastes were harmful. However, 53.1% was not aware of the harmful nature of radioactive waste. The use of protective materials by the waste handlers was noted to be inadequate. Training of cleaners on proper management of medical waste was insufficient. It was found that there is a strong relationship between educational status and monthly income of the cleaners (r =.67, p > .05), though not significant. It could be concluded that waste handlers in the selected hospitals did not fully understand the hazardous nature of medical waste components.