Knowledge of hospital waste, and safe management practices among healthcare workers in aminu kano teaching hospital, Northwest Nigeria

Abstract

Management of healthcare waste (HCW) has continued to generate increasing public health interest due to the health problems associated with exposure of human beings to
wastes, arising from healthcare services. Objective: This study assessed knowledge of hospital waste, and safe management practices among healthcare workers in Aminu Kano Teaching
Hospital, Northwest Nigeria. Method: Descriptive cross-sectional study design was used to study 152 healthcare workers in Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital. Data was collected using semistructured self-administered questionnaire and analyzed using IBM SPSS version 22. Results: The mean age of the respondents was 35.3±6.4 years with about one-half 77(50.7%) within the age range of ≥35 years. Majority 108(71.1%) of the healthcare workers were males and 145(95.4%) had tertiary education. Doctors constituted 44(28.9%) with up to 105(69.1%) respondents employed less than 10 years ago. Majority of the respondents 123(80.9%) versus 120(78.9%) had satisfactory knowledge and safe hospital waste management practices respectively. Statistically significant association was found between attending training on hospital waste management and having satisfactory knowledge of hospital waste management (χ²=11.8, p-value=0.001) with those who had previous training on hospital waste management to been 4 times more likely to have satisfactory knowledge of hospital waste management than those with no previous training on hospital waste management {AOR=3.7, 95%CI=(1.3-10.8)}. Satisfactory knowledge of hospital waste was found to be statistically associated with correct hospital waste management practices (χ²=30.4, p-value<0.001), healthcare workers with satisfactory knowledge had many folds likelihood of safe hospital waste management practice {AOR=9,95%CI= (2.9- 28.4)}.Conclusions:Knowledge of hospital waste and safe waste management practices were encouraging and associated with formal training on hospital waste management. Therefore, Hospital management should ensure regular training and re-training of healthcare workers.