Hospital Waste Management: a Study on Knowledge, Attitude and Practice among Health Staff and Waste Handlers in Jigme Dorji Wangchuk National Referral Hospital, Thimphu, Bhutan

Abstract

Inadequate hospital waste management, especially in the developing world, is a cause for concern. This cross-sectional study explored the level of knowledge, attitude and practice on hospital waste management among the health staff and waste handlers in the National Referral Hospital of Bhutan. Data were collected in June 2011 with self-administered questionnaires for health staff and face to face interview using the questionnaires for the waste handlers. A sample size of 274 was recruited for the study. Overall, 54.2% of doctors were found to have high level of knowledge compared to majority of nurses (75.3%) and paramedics (69.0%) who possessed moderate level of knowledge. With majority of health staff possessing neutral attitude, 75.0% doctors, 58.8% nurses and 58.0% paramedics performed good practice on hospital waste management. Among the waste handlers, nearly 51.4% had high knowledge, 53.1 % showed positive attitude and 62.2% performed good practice on hospital waste management. The result showed that higher age group of both health staff and waste handlers, and the senior health staff performed good practices in hospital waste management (Chi square, p≤0.05).Some of the specific recommendations from the study are: to emphasize proper segregation of waste, labeling of waste bags, strict supervision and monitoring, regular training program, review of present waste management guidelines, and to consider acquiring a hospital incinerator.