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Safety Practice and Associated Factors Among Waste Handlers in Governmental Hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Received: 1 May 2021     Accepted: 26 June 2021     Published: 9 July 2021
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Abstract

Health facilities generate different types of wastes characterized as hazardous wastes and most of them are infectious, toxic, harmful and carcinogenic. Medical Waste handlers faced massive exposure to hazardous wastes and occupational accidents as a result of manual handling of waste and working under unfavorable conditions. This indicates that waste handlers are often at high risk of occupational injuries. In Ethiopia there are limited studies and updated information concerning this issues. To fill the gap this study was intended to assess safety practices and associated factors among selected public hospital waste handler in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2019. An institutional based cross- sectional study design was used to conduct the study. All waste handlers of selected public hospitals in Addis Ababa were included in the study. The data was collected via interview using structured questionnaire. Bivariate and multi variable logistic regressions were employed to identify the predictor variables. Statistical significance was considered at P <0.05 with adjusted odds ratio calculated at 95%CI. The prevalence of current safety practice among public hospital waste handlers was found to be 44.1% (95%CI; 37.3-51.0). Respondents with good knowledge (AOR=4.7; 95%CI: 1.9, 11.5), having good supplies (AOR=6.78; 95%CI: 2.2, 20.7) had higher odds of adherence to safety practices compared to their counterparts. The study shows that the prevalence of safety practice is low. Knowledge of waste handles on safety measures and availability & accessibility of safety materials is the determinant factors for safety practice while handling waste. To sustain good safety practice adequate per-service and in-service training should be in place to increase their knowledge and practice about safety precautions and similarly providing enough safety materials is recommended to strength adherence to safety practice among hospital waste handlers.

Published in European Journal of Preventive Medicine (Volume 9, Issue 4)
DOI 10.11648/j.ejpm.20210904.12
Page(s) 107-113
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Safety Practice, Determinant Factors, Waste Handlers, Public hospitals, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

References
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Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Tesgera Tekle, Teferi Abegaz, Abigiya Wondimagne, Ziyad Ahmed Abdo. (2021). Safety Practice and Associated Factors Among Waste Handlers in Governmental Hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. European Journal of Preventive Medicine, 9(4), 107-113. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ejpm.20210904.12

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    ACS Style

    Tesgera Tekle; Teferi Abegaz; Abigiya Wondimagne; Ziyad Ahmed Abdo. Safety Practice and Associated Factors Among Waste Handlers in Governmental Hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Eur. J. Prev. Med. 2021, 9(4), 107-113. doi: 10.11648/j.ejpm.20210904.12

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    AMA Style

    Tesgera Tekle, Teferi Abegaz, Abigiya Wondimagne, Ziyad Ahmed Abdo. Safety Practice and Associated Factors Among Waste Handlers in Governmental Hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Eur J Prev Med. 2021;9(4):107-113. doi: 10.11648/j.ejpm.20210904.12

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ejpm.20210904.12,
      author = {Tesgera Tekle and Teferi Abegaz and Abigiya Wondimagne and Ziyad Ahmed Abdo},
      title = {Safety Practice and Associated Factors Among Waste Handlers in Governmental Hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia},
      journal = {European Journal of Preventive Medicine},
      volume = {9},
      number = {4},
      pages = {107-113},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ejpm.20210904.12},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ejpm.20210904.12},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ejpm.20210904.12},
      abstract = {Health facilities generate different types of wastes characterized as hazardous wastes and most of them are infectious, toxic, harmful and carcinogenic. Medical Waste handlers faced massive exposure to hazardous wastes and occupational accidents as a result of manual handling of waste and working under unfavorable conditions. This indicates that waste handlers are often at high risk of occupational injuries. In Ethiopia there are limited studies and updated information concerning this issues. To fill the gap this study was intended to assess safety practices and associated factors among selected public hospital waste handler in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2019. An institutional based cross- sectional study design was used to conduct the study. All waste handlers of selected public hospitals in Addis Ababa were included in the study. The data was collected via interview using structured questionnaire. Bivariate and multi variable logistic regressions were employed to identify the predictor variables. Statistical significance was considered at P <0.05 with adjusted odds ratio calculated at 95%CI. The prevalence of current safety practice among public hospital waste handlers was found to be 44.1% (95%CI; 37.3-51.0). Respondents with good knowledge (AOR=4.7; 95%CI: 1.9, 11.5), having good supplies (AOR=6.78; 95%CI: 2.2, 20.7) had higher odds of adherence to safety practices compared to their counterparts. The study shows that the prevalence of safety practice is low. Knowledge of waste handles on safety measures and availability & accessibility of safety materials is the determinant factors for safety practice while handling waste. To sustain good safety practice adequate per-service and in-service training should be in place to increase their knowledge and practice about safety precautions and similarly providing enough safety materials is recommended to strength adherence to safety practice among hospital waste handlers.},
     year = {2021}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Safety Practice and Associated Factors Among Waste Handlers in Governmental Hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
    AU  - Tesgera Tekle
    AU  - Teferi Abegaz
    AU  - Abigiya Wondimagne
    AU  - Ziyad Ahmed Abdo
    Y1  - 2021/07/09
    PY  - 2021
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ejpm.20210904.12
    DO  - 10.11648/j.ejpm.20210904.12
    T2  - European Journal of Preventive Medicine
    JF  - European Journal of Preventive Medicine
    JO  - European Journal of Preventive Medicine
    SP  - 107
    EP  - 113
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2330-8230
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ejpm.20210904.12
    AB  - Health facilities generate different types of wastes characterized as hazardous wastes and most of them are infectious, toxic, harmful and carcinogenic. Medical Waste handlers faced massive exposure to hazardous wastes and occupational accidents as a result of manual handling of waste and working under unfavorable conditions. This indicates that waste handlers are often at high risk of occupational injuries. In Ethiopia there are limited studies and updated information concerning this issues. To fill the gap this study was intended to assess safety practices and associated factors among selected public hospital waste handler in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2019. An institutional based cross- sectional study design was used to conduct the study. All waste handlers of selected public hospitals in Addis Ababa were included in the study. The data was collected via interview using structured questionnaire. Bivariate and multi variable logistic regressions were employed to identify the predictor variables. Statistical significance was considered at P <0.05 with adjusted odds ratio calculated at 95%CI. The prevalence of current safety practice among public hospital waste handlers was found to be 44.1% (95%CI; 37.3-51.0). Respondents with good knowledge (AOR=4.7; 95%CI: 1.9, 11.5), having good supplies (AOR=6.78; 95%CI: 2.2, 20.7) had higher odds of adherence to safety practices compared to their counterparts. The study shows that the prevalence of safety practice is low. Knowledge of waste handles on safety measures and availability & accessibility of safety materials is the determinant factors for safety practice while handling waste. To sustain good safety practice adequate per-service and in-service training should be in place to increase their knowledge and practice about safety precautions and similarly providing enough safety materials is recommended to strength adherence to safety practice among hospital waste handlers.
    VL  - 9
    IS  - 4
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Addis Ababa Health Bureau, Department of Health Extension Program and Primary Health Care Directorates, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

  • Department of Public Health, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

  • Department of Public Health, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

  • Department of Hygiene and Environmental Health, Ethiopian Ministry of Health, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

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