| dc.description.abstract | Background: Health care waste is a special category of waste which needs special
precautions while handling. Some types of health care wastes pose a risk on human health as
well as contaminate the environment.
Objective: The aim of the study was assess the knowledge, attitude and practices of
health care waste management among private health practitioners in Gulu municipality
between May to August 2018so as to improve on the way health care waste is management in
the hospital.
Method: A descriptive cross sectional study was employed to assess the knowledge, attitude
and practice of health care among health care waste in Gulu municipality between May to
August 2018. A total of 97 health workers from the hospital were included in this study using
non probability, convenient sampling technique. A structured questionnaire and observational
check list were used to collect data. Data were entered and analyzed using SPSS version 20.
Result: From the assessment done majority of the respondents most 36.1%of the respondents
mentioned infectious waste as the main category of health care waste, 40.2% of the
respondents said the OPD was the main source of health care waste, 96.9%of the respondents
were aware of health care waste management rules. Majority 97.9% of the respondents had
never attended any continuing medical education, conference or workshop on health care
waste with 47.7% of those who have attended training on HCW has attended it once in the
last 12 months. 99% think health care waste management is necessary, 69.1% of the
respondents said proper waste management minimizes cross infection, 96.9% of the
respondents think proper waste segregation and disposal is their responsibility, 95.9% of the
respondents think there is need for strict implementation of health care waste management
rules in the hospital. Most96.9% of the respondents disposed of waste generated at workplace
in specified color coded containers, 96.9% of the respondents used gloves during handling of
health care waste, 97.9% of the respondents dispose sharps in puncture proof containers
Conclusion: Health care waste management is affected by knowledge and attitude health
workers. Some of health workers had knowledge gap and did not practice health care wastes
management. Hence, providing knowledge, adequate numbers of waste bins, regular training
and supervision on health care waste management are recommended to improve the problems
of poor management of health care wastes. | en_US |
