Assessment of Health Care Waste Segregation Practice and Associated Factors of Health Care Workers in Gondar University Hospital, North West Ethiopia, 2013

Abstract

Introduction: Health care wastes are of great importance due to its potential environmental hazards and public health risks. The ineffective handling and segregation of healthcare waste can result additional costs related to the disposal of waste if not segregated appropriately. Objective: To assess health care workers practice and associated factors towards health care waste segregation in Gondar University hospital Gondar, Ethiopia, 2013.Methods: Institutional based cross- sectional study was employed and Study participants were selected by stratified random sampling using profession category. Pretested standardized questionnaire and observational check list were used. Result: This study showed that 173 (46.3%) of the respondents had correctly practiced health care waste segregation. Being a nurse profession (AOR =0.27; 95% CI= 0.15-0.51), working more than eight hours (AOR =0.28; 95% CI= 0.17-0.47) and unavailability of color coded containers (AOR =0.18; 95% CI= 0.08-0.38) were factors influencing the practice of health care waste segregation. Conclusion: This study showed that health care workers practice towards segregation of health care waste in university of Gondar hospital is poor. Profession, working hours in a day and availability of color coded containers were factors that affect the health care waste segregation practice.