Health Care Waste Segregation Behavior among Health Workers in Uganda: An Application of the Theory of Planned Behavior.

Martha Akulume,Suzanne N Kiwanuka

doi:10.1155/2016/8132306

Martha Akulume, Suzanne N Kiwanuka

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1155/2016/8132306

Copy DOI

Abstract

Objective. The goal of this study was to assess the appropriateness of the theory of planned behavior in predicting health care waste segregation behaviors and to examine the factors that influence waste segregation behaviors. Methodology. One hundred and sixty-three health workers completed a self-administered questionnaire in a cross-sectional survey that examined the theory of planned behavior constructs (attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and intention) and external variables (sociodemographic factors, personal characteristics, organizational characteristics, professional characteristics, and moral obligation). Results. For their most recent client 21.5% of the health workers reported that they most definitely segregated health care waste while 5.5% did not segregate. All the theory of planned behavior constructs were significant predictors of health workers' segregation behavior, but intention emerged as the strongest and most significant (r = 0.524, P < 0.001). The theory of planned behavior model explained 52.5% of the variance in health workers' segregation behavior. When external variables were added, the new model explained 66.7% of the variance in behavior. Conclusion. Generally, health workers' health care waste segregation behavior was high. The theory of planned behavior significantly predicted health workers' health care waste segregation behaviors.

Highlights

Health care waste (HCW) is a byproduct of health care activities and is comprised of materials ranging from used needles and syringes to soiled dressings, body parts, diagnostic samples, blood, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and radioactive materials [1]
The target population consisted of health workers working in either private or governmental Health Care Facilities (HCF) in Pallisa district, and these were from the Health Center (HC) II level to general hospital
21.5% most definitely segregated HCW, 58.9% definitely segregated HCW, 7.4% were not sure if they segregated HCW, 6.7% probably did not segregate HCW, and 5.5% did not segregate for their last client (Figure 1)

Summary

Introduction

Health care waste (HCW) is a byproduct of health care activities and is comprised of materials ranging from used needles and syringes to soiled dressings, body parts, diagnostic samples, blood, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and radioactive materials [1]. The Ugandan Ministry of Health [2] classifies this waste into categories which include the following:. (i) Highly infectious waste, for example, amputated limbs, placenta, extracted teeth, used test tubes and test kits, used blood bags, and all food items from highly infectious patients. (ii) Infectious waste including used gauze, used cotton, pad and cloths, and contaminated bottles for infusion fluids. Segregation means placing the various categories of waste into different color coded bins with liners. According to the Ministry of Health, Uganda [2], the recommended color coding scheme is green bin with liner for noninfectious plastics, black bin with liner for other noninfectious wastes, yellow safety box for sharps, yellow bin with liner for infectious waste, red bin with liner for highly infectious waste, and brown bin with liner for pharmaceutical waste

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion