Medical Waste Management during Conflict: A Cross-sectional Study in Yemen

Abstract

Introduction: Proper handling and disposal of medical waste is an important issue. However, a lack of awareness on medical waste management is a dangerous hazard for humans and the environment. Aim: To determine the knowledge and practices of Health Care Workers (HCWs) about medical waste management in Yemen. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 337 HCWs in four main hospitals in Ibb city, Yemen, from November 2019 to May 2020. Knowledge and practice of medical waste disposal were assessed using a self-administered questionnaire to gather data from the respondents in Arabic language. Data analysis was performed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) v. 25.0. Mann-Whitney, Chi-square, and Spearman and correlation tests. Results: Most of the participants had a diploma (47.8%), occupation was nursing (41.2%), with less than five years experience (50.7%). The study showed that respondents demonstrated good knowledge and practice about medical waste management. There was a moderate positive correlation between knowledge and practice domains. Occupation significantly influenced knowledge (p=0.001) and practice (p=0.002) of the participants. Type of hospital showed a statistically significant relation to knowledge (p=0.001). Education significantly influenced the knowledge (p=0.030) of the study participants. conclusion: Occupation, type of hospital and education level are the factors which significantly influenced the knowledge of Yemeni nurses. Contentious education should be focused on medical waste management among HCWs.