Department of Biosystems Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture and Plantation Management, Makadura, Wayamba University of Sri Lanka, Kuliyapitiya, Sri Lanka.
Durdans Hospital, Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Front Public Health. 2023 Dec 27;11:1215648. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1215648. eCollection 2023.
Proper Healthcare Waste (HW) management is directly influenced by the knowledge and attitudes of Healthcare Professionals (HCP). However, studies that characterize the knowledge and practices of HCP on HW management are limited in Sri Lanka. This study was conducted to characterize the knowledge, perceptions and practices of HCP on the management of HW and to determine the risk factors influencing HW related occupational health hazards in the Colombo District of Sri Lanka.
A total of 407 HCP were recruited as the study population from selected hospitals in the Colombo District. Information on socio-demographic factors, knowledge, attitudes and practices on HW management were gathered using an interviewer-administrated questionnaire. The Binary Logistic Regression (BLR) was used to determine the socio-economic risk factors associated with the occurrence of HW related health issues among the respondents.
The majority of respondents were characterized with a high knowledge level (76.9%) and positive attitudes (53.8%) on HW management. Incineration (82.6%) was recognized as the most widely used HW treatment method. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) was used at a satisfactory level (85.5%), while liquid waste treatment was limited (57.5%). The occupational designation, level of training received in HW management, professional experience, vaccination status for tetanus, degree of knowledge and attitudes on HW management were recognized as significant risk factors ( < 0.05) associated with the occurrence of HW related occupational hazards.
Even though, the treatment of HW was satisfactory, strengthening the existing mechanisms for monitoring of HW management, provisioning more resources and organizing training and awareness programmes on HW management for HCP are recommended.
适当的医疗废物（HW）管理直接受到医疗保健专业人员（HCP）的知识和态度的影响。然而，在斯里兰卡，描述 HCP 对 HW 管理的知识和实践的研究有限。本研究旨在描述 HCP 对 HW 管理的知识、看法和实践，确定影响科伦坡地区 HW 相关职业健康危害的危险因素。
共招募了 407 名 HCP 作为研究人群，来自科伦坡地区选定的医院。使用访谈者管理的问卷收集了有关社会人口因素、HW 管理知识、态度和实践的信息。使用二项逻辑回归（BLR）确定与受访者 HW 相关健康问题发生相关的社会经济危险因素。
大多数受访者在 HW 管理方面具有较高的知识水平（76.9%）和积极的态度（53.8%）。焚烧（82.6%）被认为是最广泛使用的 HW 处理方法。个人防护设备（PPE）的使用水平令人满意（85.5%），而液体废物处理有限（57.5%）。职业指定、HW 管理培训水平、专业经验、破伤风疫苗接种状况、HW 管理知识和态度程度被认为是与 HW 相关职业危害发生相关的显著危险因素（<0.05）。
尽管 HW 的处理令人满意，但建议加强现有的 HW 管理监测机制，为 HCP 提供更多资源，并组织 HW 管理培训和提高认识方案。
