This article provides a detailed discussion and findings on medical waste exposure and prevention among medical waste handlers in Ethiopia’s Hadiya Zone. The research conducted was facility-based and utilized both quantitative and qualitative methods to assess the perception of medical waste exposure prevention amongst 325 medical waste handlers. The data collection process spanned a month between May and June 2022. The researchers utilized a pre-tested, structured questionnaire for quantitative data collection, and in-depth interviews were conducted with eight participants for qualitative findings.
The study found that only 56.3% of the handlers were likely to engage in medical waste exposure prevention. The likelihood of this engagement was influenced by a range of factors including experience of more than 10 years, adequate knowledge, and previous training. One of the insightful findings of this study showed a distinct lack of on-the-job training and insufficient supply of personal protective equipment for the handlers. For efficacious control over medical waste exposure, the study suggests an urgent need for stakeholders to enhance the perception of medical waste handlers through professional health training and address the challenges impeding its practice.
For many, the terms ‘medical waste’ might not carry great significance but this waste, comprising of hazardous material generated during health practices, poses a great health risk towards handlers and patients alike. Sparking concern, it is the careless disposal of needles and syringes that can lead to severe injuries, infections and possible reuse. A staggering 16 billion injections are administered globally every year, but unfortunately, not all needles and syringes are discarded safely. The World Health Organization states that improper management of medical waste can spread serious diseases such as hepatitis B and HIV, making medical waste handlers and healthcare workers especially vulnerable.
Preventing the spread of such infections essentially means averting exposure to medical waste. This could be achieved through consistent usage of personal protective equipment, good hand hygiene, segregation of waste in designated bins, and other safety practices. However, the risk of infections escalates in developing countries like Ethiopia where a lack of resources, policies, and training are evident. This necessitates the need for studying preventive health behavior based on well-researched theories and models.
According to the Health Belief Model (HBM), preventive health behavior can be significantly improved if individuals perceive risk and believe that the proposed behavior is beneficial. The article underlines the importance of assessing individual perceptions to devise more effective hospital infection prevention strategies. Understanding the perceptions, knowledge, and practices regarding medical waste management can greatly contribute to infection prevention efforts. Therefore, the article emphasizes inculcating health-seeking behavior among medical waste handlers through adequate training and education, as key to ensuring the safe and effective management of medical waste.
Source: https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-025-22247-9