Assessment of Knowledge and Perception among Health Workers towards Proper Biomedical Wastes Management in Selected Hospitals in Abuja
Abstract:
Biomedical wastes are ‘special type’
of waste generated from diagnostic, research laboratories and health care institutions
where screening, diagnosis and treatment are carried out. These wastes have been
categorically classified as hazardous wastes that should be given priority attention
from the source to final disposal in order to avert public health issues. The study
aimed to assess the knowledge and perception of health workers towards biomedical
waste management in selected hospitals in Abuja. Data were collected by structured
questionnaire and on- the-spot observation. Six hospitals that provided health care
services to the increasing population of Abuja residents were surveyed. Descriptive
and inferential statistical analysis were used in the analysis of the data. Chi-square
(χ2) test was used to determine the level
of significance set at p<0.05. The years of work experience of the respondents
showed that 98 (24.50%) have spent 1-5 years on the job, 80 (20.00%) of the respondents
have spent 5-10 years on the job, 88 (22.00%) of the respondents have spent 10-15
years on the job while majority 134 (33.50%) of the respondents had spent more than
15 years on the job. The study showed that there was a significance difference in the knowledge
and perceptions of health workers to the biomedical waste management (p<0.05).
High level of knowledge and perception among the health workers was observed. There
is still need for training and retraining of the health workers, hospital visitors
and the general public, sensitization on the risks and benefits associated with
proper biomedical waste management.
Keywords:
Biomedical, hazardous, health workers, hospitals, waste management.
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