Knowledge, Attitude and Practices regarding Biomedical Waste Management among Health Care Professionals of Private Sector Hospitals in Pakistan

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the level of awareness, mindset, and activities regarding biomedical waste management among health care providers and professionals of private sector hospitals in Pakistan. Hospitals are the centers of taking care of public health. However, at the same time, they generate hazardous biomedical waste. A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out among health care professionals. The sample was collected by using multistage random sampling. Among all participants studied mean age was (29.56 ± 7.59). The majority of the respondents had good knowledge (64.7%), the OT department had good knowledge (26%), while knowledge of the nurses was (33%). Over the Confident attitude of the respondents were (53%), respondents from the OT department had a confident attitude (28%) while nursing staff had a confident attitude of (39%). Overall good practices of the respondents were (65%), OT department had good practices (30%) whereas nursing staff also had good practices (41%). The relationship between experience and attitude, awareness and practices, and attitude and practices was found to be statistically relevant at (p = 0.05). Our study concluded that healthcare professionals’ knowledge and practices scores were satisfactory, but healthcare professionals’ attitude was somehow low. The satisfactory score of knowledge, attitude and practices was observed higher amongst nurses compared to other healthcare professionals; this may be attributed to increased interest in biomedical waste management.