Abstract
Background: The management of health care waste is the subject of considerable concern to public health. Unscientific disposal of health care waste may lead to the transmission of communicable disease which is a risk for health care professionals. Objective: The main objective of this study was to assess the awareness in the medical and paramedical students about bio-medical waste (BMW) hazards and management and to see the impact of clinical posting in knowledge regarding BMW handling. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional type of study. A total of 240 subjects was enrolled, 60 each from 1 st year students of MBBS, BDS, nursing, and MLT. They were interviewed for health care waste management practices. Results: Study shows overall awareness regarding BMW in nursing and MLT students were better than MBBS and BDS students. We found that about the infection like HIV almost all the students were equally aware but awareness about hepatitis B infection was more in MBBS and BDS students and also in nursing students compared with MLT students. All the students from four groups were almost vaccinated for tetanus toxoid but only 50% students were vaccinated for hepatitis B. Conclusion: The nursing and MLT students comparatively were having better knowledge and attitude than BDS and MBBS students in many aspects. However, overall knowledge of 1 st year students from all the groups was not satisfactory and number of students those who were vaccinated for hepatitis B was also low which put them at risk.
Highlights
Bio-medical waste (BMW) is the term applied to the waste generated during the diagnosis, treatment or immunization of human beings or animals or in the research activities pertaining thereto or in the production or testing of biologicals and including categories viz. general waste, pathological waste, radioactive waste, chemical waste, infectious waste, sharps, pharmaceutical waste, pressurized containers.[1]The management of health care waste is the subject of considerable concern to public health and infection-control specialists, as well as the general public
When we try to find out knowledge of all the students on BMW and its handling, almost all the students from each group were aware of what is BMW
When we try to know that how many of them can identify the symbol of BMW hazard, 58% of MBBS students, 82% of BDS students, 89% of nursing students, and 95% of MLT students were able to identify it [Table 1]
Summary
Bio-medical waste (BMW) is the term applied to the waste generated during the diagnosis, treatment or immunization of human beings or animals or in the research activities pertaining thereto or in the production or testing of biologicals and including categories viz. general waste, pathological waste, radioactive waste, chemical waste, infectious waste, sharps, pharmaceutical waste, pressurized containers.[1]The management of health care waste is the subject of considerable concern to public health and infection-control specialists, as well as the general public. Unscientific disposal of health care waste may lead to the transmission of communicable diseases such as gastroenteric infections, respiratory infections, spreading through air water, and direct human contact with the blood and infectious body fluids. These could be responsible for transmission of hepatitis B, C, E, and AIDS within the community. Diseases are spread by improper treatment and disposal of waste.[2] Legal provisions (BMW [management and handling] Rules 1998)[1] exist to mitigate the impact of hazardous and infectious hospital waste on the community.
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