A Study to Assess Knowledge, Attitude and Practices on the basis of Scoring Related to Bio-Medical Waste Management among Health-care Personnel in Secondary Care Hospitals of Prayagraj, District

Abstract

Background: Biomedical waste (BMW) management remains a problem area in India. Proper managementdepends upon knowledge and attitude of waste generating staff and other personnel involved.Objective: To assess Knowledge, Attitude and Practice regarding bio-medical management among health-carepersonnel by using a scoring system in secondary care hospitals in Prayagraj district.Methodology: Sample size was calculated to be 470. The study subjects were selected from each stratum ofpersonnel randomly in proportion to the size of strata from both urban and rural. Data was collected usingquestionnaire and assessment of knowledge, attitude and practices was done on the basis of scoring systemdescribed by Kaliyaperumal.Results: It was observed that in urban hospitals 60.91% doctors, 58.25% nurses, 44.45% lab technicians and 30.76% sanitary staff were having high level of knowledge with a score of >20 and in rural hospitals, 38(54.2%) doctors,20(47.61%) nurses, 9(32.14%) lab technicians and 8(22.85%) sanitary staff were having high level of knowledge. Inurban hospitals,{70 (80.45%) doctors, 91(88.34%) nurses, 23(85.18%) lab technician and 65(80.76%) sanitary staffand in rural hospitals, {58(82.85%) doctor, 39(92.85%) nurses, 22(78.57%) lab technician, and 31(88.57%) sanitarystaff} were having favourable attitude with a score of >6. In both urban and rural hospital, the practice scores ofmajority of healthcare personnel were satisfactory i.e. in the range of (3-6).
 Conclusion: The study revealed that the attitude among health-care personnel was good while knowledge andpractice were satisfactory.