A qualitative study of the causes of improper segregation of infectious waste at Nemazee Hospital, Shiraz, Iran
Summary: Background and objectives: Medical waste management is a major concern for healthcare facilities. One important element is the segregation of infectious waste from domestic, non-infectious waste. The aim of this qualitative study was to identify factors that negatively affect proper segreg...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2014-05-01
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| Series: | Journal of Infection and Public Health |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1876034114000185 |
| _version_ | 1811320023777542144 |
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| author | Mahbobeh Oroei Mohsen Momeni Charles J. Palenik Mina Danaei Mehrdad Askarian |
| author_facet | Mahbobeh Oroei Mohsen Momeni Charles J. Palenik Mina Danaei Mehrdad Askarian |
| author_sort | Mahbobeh Oroei |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Summary: Background and objectives: Medical waste management is a major concern for healthcare facilities. One important element is the segregation of infectious waste from domestic, non-infectious waste. The aim of this qualitative study was to identify factors that negatively affect proper segregation at Nemazee Hospital, which is affiliated with Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. Methods: Study data came from focus groups involving hospital workers. Participants expressed their opinions regarding barriers to proper segregation of medical wastes. The participants gave their permission to have their comments recorded. Data analyses were based on a grounded theory approach. Results: The results indicated that managerial weakness was an important factor in suboptimal disposal of medical waste. It appears that hospital authorities should pay better attention to educational planning, organizational resources and supervision. Together, these considerations should help reduce waste-management errors. The results also suggest that healthcare worker training needs improvement. In general, patients and their companions, as well as the local population, did not appear to have sufficient knowledge concerning disposal of infectious medical waste. Conclusions: Hospital authorities should conduct a broad review of medical waste management, including improved employee training. This step should have a positive effect on local health, as well as the environment. Improvement is also needed in the infection prevention performance of hospital healthcare workers. This approach should reduce additional production of infectious waste and costs associated with healthcare. Keywords: Infectious wastes, Waste management, Infectious medical waste, Waste handling, Focus groups |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T12:52:16Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9e087e57a7c141bebe88f40fda9ccade |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1876-0341 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T12:52:16Z |
| publishDate | 2014-05-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Infection and Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-9e087e57a7c141bebe88f40fda9ccade2022-12-22T02:46:10ZengElsevierJournal of Infection and Public Health1876-03412014-05-0173192198A qualitative study of the causes of improper segregation of infectious waste at Nemazee Hospital, Shiraz, IranMahbobeh Oroei0Mohsen Momeni1Charles J. Palenik2Mina Danaei3Mehrdad Askarian4Student Research Committee, Department of Community Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IranStudent Research Committee, Department of Community Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IranDepartment of Oral Biology, Infection Control Research and Services, Indiana University School of Dentistry, Indianapolis, IN, USADepartment of Community Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IranDepartment of Community Medicine, Shiraz Nephrology Urology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran; Corresponding author at: Department of Community Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, P.O. Box: 71345-1737, Shiraz, Iran. Tel.: +98 917 1125577; fax: +98 711 2354431.Summary: Background and objectives: Medical waste management is a major concern for healthcare facilities. One important element is the segregation of infectious waste from domestic, non-infectious waste. The aim of this qualitative study was to identify factors that negatively affect proper segregation at Nemazee Hospital, which is affiliated with Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. Methods: Study data came from focus groups involving hospital workers. Participants expressed their opinions regarding barriers to proper segregation of medical wastes. The participants gave their permission to have their comments recorded. Data analyses were based on a grounded theory approach. Results: The results indicated that managerial weakness was an important factor in suboptimal disposal of medical waste. It appears that hospital authorities should pay better attention to educational planning, organizational resources and supervision. Together, these considerations should help reduce waste-management errors. The results also suggest that healthcare worker training needs improvement. In general, patients and their companions, as well as the local population, did not appear to have sufficient knowledge concerning disposal of infectious medical waste. Conclusions: Hospital authorities should conduct a broad review of medical waste management, including improved employee training. This step should have a positive effect on local health, as well as the environment. Improvement is also needed in the infection prevention performance of hospital healthcare workers. This approach should reduce additional production of infectious waste and costs associated with healthcare. Keywords: Infectious wastes, Waste management, Infectious medical waste, Waste handling, Focus groupshttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1876034114000185 |
| spellingShingle | Mahbobeh Oroei Mohsen Momeni Charles J. Palenik Mina Danaei Mehrdad Askarian A qualitative study of the causes of improper segregation of infectious waste at Nemazee Hospital, Shiraz, Iran Journal of Infection and Public Health |
| title | A qualitative study of the causes of improper segregation of infectious waste at Nemazee Hospital, Shiraz, Iran |
| title_full | A qualitative study of the causes of improper segregation of infectious waste at Nemazee Hospital, Shiraz, Iran |
| title_fullStr | A qualitative study of the causes of improper segregation of infectious waste at Nemazee Hospital, Shiraz, Iran |
| title_full_unstemmed | A qualitative study of the causes of improper segregation of infectious waste at Nemazee Hospital, Shiraz, Iran |
| title_short | A qualitative study of the causes of improper segregation of infectious waste at Nemazee Hospital, Shiraz, Iran |
| title_sort | qualitative study of the causes of improper segregation of infectious waste at nemazee hospital shiraz iran |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1876034114000185 |
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