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Year : 2013 Month : July Volume : 2 Issue : 29 Page : 5362-5367

AWARENESS REGARDING BIOMEDICAL WASTE MANAGEMENT AMONG INTERNS IN A TERTIARY HEALTH CARE HOSPITAL KHAMMAM

K.V. Phani Madhavi1, B. Chandrasekhar Reddy2, B. P. Ravikumar3.

1. Assistant Professor, Department of Community Medicine, Mamata Medical College
2. Assistant Professor, Department of Community Medicine, Mamata Medical College
3. Professor, Departmentof Community Medicine, Mamata Medical College

CORRESPONDING AUTHOR

Dr. K. V. Phani Madhavi,
Email : drmadhavikvp@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

CORRESPONDING AUTHOR:
Dr. K. V. Phani Madhavi,
Mamata Medical College. Rotary nagar,
Khammam-507002,
Andhra Pradesh.
E-mail: drmadhavikvp@gmail.com

ABSTRACT: Biomedical wastes (BMW) segregation or disposal is fraught with danger. Being health care professionals one should be conscious about proper segregation and safe disposal BMW. Secondly the onus of responsibility of supervising health care team is vested with the doctor’s. Hence an attempt is made to assess the knowledge of junior doctors regarding segregation and disposal BMW. AIM & OBJECTIVE: To assess the knowledge about various aspects of BMW management among junior doctors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study carried out among 115 junior doctors in a medical college hospital in Khammam, Andhra Pradesh from January 2013 to February 2013. RESULTS: Majority of the study population were in the age group of 22 to 24 years 53(46.1%). Majority of the study population were males 60(52.17 %).

Only 65.21% CONCLUSION: The importance of training regarding BMW management needs emphasis; lack of proper and complete knowledge about biomedical waste management impacts practices of appropriate waste disposal.

KEYWORDS: Biomedical waste, junior doctors, segregation had correct knowledge regarding segregation of wastes in to appropriate color-coded bags. Only 26% had knowledge regarding final disposal of BMW.

 

INTRODUCTION: In the persuasion of the aim of reducing health problems and treating sick people, healthcare services inevitably create waste which itself may be hazardous to health. The waste produced in the course of healthcare activities carries a higher potential for infection and injury than any other type of waste. Inadequate and inappropriate knowledge of handling of healthcare waste may have serious health consequences and a significant impact on the environment as well. It is estimated that annually about 0.33 million tons of hospital waste is generated in India and, the waste generation rate ranges from 0.5 to 2.0 kg per bed per day.(1)Wherever, generated, a safe and reliable method for handling of biomedical waste is essential. Effective management of biomedical waste is not only a legal necessity but also a social responsibility. Though legal provisions [Biomedical Waste (management and handling) Rules 1998] exist to mitigate the impact of hazardous and infectious hospital waste on the community; still these provisions are yet to be fully implemented. (2)The absence of proper waste management, lack of awareness about the health hazards from biomedical wastes, insufficient financial and human resources, and poor control of waste disposal are the most critical problems connected with healthcare waste. (3)The hazardous impact of medical waste on the public and environment is enhanced manifold if adequate and appropriate handling of these wastes is not adopted. The hospital waste management has diverse ramifications as it not only affects the health of patients but also of healthcare workers and general public. Although, there is an increased global awareness among health professionals about the hazards and also appropriate management techniques but the level of awareness in India is found to be unsatisfactory. (4-6)Adequate knowledge about the health hazard of hospital waste, proper techniques and methods of handling the waste, and practice of safety measures can go a long way towards the safe disposal of hazardous hospital waste and protect the community from various adverse effects of the hazardous waste. Hence the safe handling and disposal of biomedical waste has gained attention of not only health care providers but also public health administrators in order to have healthier societies. With this background, this study was conducted with the main objective of assessing knowledge of junior doctors regarding biomedical waste management.

 

MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study carried out among 115 junior doctors in a medical college hospital in Khammam from January 2013 to February 2013.Study tool was a pre-designed pretested semi-structured, questionnaire. The participants were informed about the purpose of the study and their informed verbal consent was taken. They were assured about their confidentiality.

 

RESULTS: It was seen that majority of the study population were in the age group of 22 to 24 years 53(46.1%).Majority of the study population were males 60(52.17 %). Almost all 100(94.78%) heard about BMW. Majority of the study population 95(82.60%) knew about color coded bags for Segregation of BMW. (Figure: 1)Segregation at source—the golden rule of BMW—was known by more than half 75(65.21%) of the study population. (Figure; 2)Among the study population 100(86.9%) had knowledge regarding the potential of transmission of diseases because of improper disposal of BMW.(Figure;3)Only 30(26%) of the study population had knowledge regarding final disposal of BMW. (Figure; 4)

Table 1: Sociodemographic profile of the study population (N=115)

Characteristics

NO (%)

Age in yrs

 

20 - 22

53(46.1%)

22 - 24

27(23.5%)

>24 yrs

20(17.4%)

Sex

 

Males

60(52.17%

females

55(47.83%

Type of family

 

Nuclear

95(82.6%)

joint

20(17.4%)

Place of residence

 

Hostelite

102(88.7%)

Day scholar

13(11.3%)

Per capita monthly income(Rs)

 

< 5000

18(15.6%)

5000 – 20,000

83(72.2%)

>20,000

14(12.2%)

Table: 2 Analysis of Knowledge among interns regarding Bio-medical waste Management (N=115)

KNOWLEDGE

YES

NO

Heard about bio-medical waste

109(94.78%)

6(5.22%)

Heard about BMW Rule

78(67.82%)

37(32.18%)

Know about bio- hazard symbol

75(65.2%)

40(34.8%)

Category of BMW

60(52.2%)

55(47.8%)

Color coding

95(82.6%)

20(17.4%)

Segregation at source

75(65.2%)

40(34.8%)

Various methods of disposal

30(26.1%)

85(73.9%)

Health problems due to BMW

100(86.9%)

15(13.1%)

 

DISCUSSION: In this study, the junior doctors were assessed about their knowledge regarding BMW management. Interestingly, the study revealed that they lack required knowledge about BMW management. Our study showed that 94.78% of the study population heard about BMW, where as it was 99.1% in a study conducted among interns by Mausami Basu etal in west Bengal .(7)

About 67.8% of our study population knew about BMW (Management and Handling) rule 1998 where as it was 94.4% which was quite more in a study conducted among interns by Mausami basu etal in west Bengal. These findings are in contrast to our study findings.

Despite being doctors, only 65.21% of the our study participants knew about the bio-hazard symbol as compared to 67.9% in a study conducted among interns by Mausami basu etal in west Bengal, which indicates need for sensitization program. Our study findings are similar with that of Mausami basu etal study.

only 52.17 % of our study population were aware of various categories of BMW as compared to 55.9% in a study conducted by Mausami basu etal in west Bengal. In another study conducted by Suwarna Madhukumar etal in Bangalore it was only 38.5 %. (8)

Knowledge regarding Segregation of BMW at source was known by 65.21% of our study population whereas it was 78.8% in a study conducted by Mausami basu etal in west Bengal where it was better.

Various methods of final disposal of BMW were known by only 26% in our study, whereas it was 29.5% in a study conducted by Mausami basu etal in west Bengal. Similarly only 30% of the doctors had proper knowledge regarding final disposal of BMW in a study conducted by Rekha Sachan etal in Lucknow.(9)These findings are in similar to the study conducted among residents in New Delhi by S. Saini et al. (10)

 

CONCLUSION: Lack of proper and complete knowledge about biomedical waste management impacts practices of appropriate waste disposal.

 

 

RECOMMENDATIONS AND SUGGESTIONS:

  1. Intensive training program at regular time interval for all staff with special emphasis on junior doctors is needed.
  2. A system of monitoring of information, education and communication (IEC) and practice of BMW management should be evolved.
  3. Information about the risks linked to BMW can be displayed by posters in hospitals giving instructions to segregation.
  4. Intensive training program at regular time interval for all staff with special emphasis on junior doctors is needed.
  5. A system of monitoring of information, education and communication (IEC) and practice of BMW management should be evolved.
  6. Information about the risks linked to BMW can be displayed by posters in hospitals giving instructions to segregation.

 

REFERENCES:

  1. Patil AD, Shekdar AV. Health-care waste management in India. J Environ Manage. 2001; 63:211–20. 
  2. Ministry of Environment and forest notification on the Bio-Medical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules. 1998 envfor.nic.in/legis/hsm/biomed.html
  3. Plianbangchang PH. W.H.O. Publication (2005); “A Report on Alternative Treatment and Non-Burn Disposal Practices”; Safe Management of Bio-medical Sharps Waste in India. Goel P, Sagar B, Joshi TK. Awareness about biomedical waste management and infection control among dentists of a teaching hospital in New Delhi, India. Indian J Dent Res. 2000; 11:157–61. 
  4. Rao PH. Report: Hospital waste management--awareness and practices: A study of three states in India. Waste Manage Res. 2008; 26:297–303.
  5. Yadavannavar MC, Berad AS, Jagirdar PB. Bio-medical Waste Management: A study of Knowledge, Attitude and Practices in a Tertiary Health Care Institution in Bijapur. Indian J Community Med Year: 2010 |Volume: 35 | Issue : 1 | Page : 170-171.
  6. Kishore J, Goel P, Sagar B, Joshi TK. Awareness about biomedical waste management and infection control among dentists of a teaching hospital in New Delhi, India. Indian J Dent Res. 2000; 11:157–61.
  7. Mausumi BasuPalash DasRanabir Pal Assessment of future physicians on biomedical waste management in a tertiary care hospital of West Bengal. J Nat Sci Biol Med. 2012 Jan-Jun; 3(1): 38–42.
  8. Suwarna Madhukumar, Ramesh G etal study-about-awareness-and-practices-about-health-care-waste-management-among-hospital-staff-in-a-medical-college-hospital-bangalore. IJBMS, vol 3, issue 6, 2013 Feb.
  9. Rekha Sachan etal Assessment of the knowledge, attitude and Practices regarding Biomedical Waste Management amongst the Medical and Paramedical Staff in Tertiary Health Care Centre. International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, Volume 2, Issue 7, July 2012 1 ISSN 2250-3153www.ijsrp.org.
  10.  S. Saini, etal Knowledge, Attitude and Practices of Bio-Medical Waste Management Amongst Staff of a Tertiary Level Hospital in New Delhi, India. Journal of the Academy of Hospital Administration .Vol. 17, No. 2 (2005-01-2005-12).
  11.  

 

Figure 1: Knowledge of interns regarding the color coded bins


Figure 2- Knowledge of interns regarding of segregation of Biomedical wastes at source


Figure 3 Knowledge regarding the potential of transmission of diseases through biomedical wastes

 

Figure 4: Knowledge of interns regarding final disposal of Biomedical wastes



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