Title
Impact on public health due to improper handling of hazardous waste
Other title
Impacto en la salud pública por el manejo inadecuado de los desechos peligrosos
Date Issued
01 January 2022
Access level
metadata only access
Resource Type
journal article
Publisher(s)
Instituto de Altos Estudios de Salud Publica
Abstract
Healthcare waste management requires special attention and every healthcare teams should be involved in handling of wastes. However, less attention is paid to health care waste management in developing countries and there is no evidence on health care waste management practices in some institutions providing health services. This study was conducted to assess healthcare waste management practices and associated factors in three hospitals in Peru. It is a descriptive, quantitative and cross-sectional study based on three health establishments. Data were collected using questionnaire and observational checklists. The (66.67%) of the workers knew about the management of biological waste. The majority knew the risks associated with handling them (95.91%). Participants were aware that infections can be prevented. Nine out of ten of the workers completed at least two trainings in the management of biological waste. 95.91% knew the correct container color codes for different waste streams. Regarding attitudes, 161 (94.15%) indicated that the management of biological waste was important and 162 (94.74%) agreed that strict implementation was necessary for proper management of biological waste in the environment health facility. Key elements to improve healthcare waste management practices in hospitals: promote practices that reduce the volume of waste generated and ensure proper waste segregation.
Start page
63
End page
71
Volume
62
Issue
1
Language
Spanish
OCDE Knowledge area
Salud pública, Salud ambiental
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-85126730682
Source
Boletin de Malariologia y Salud Ambiental
ISSN of the container
16904648
Sources of information: Directorio de Producción Científica Scopus