Dental healthcare waste management practices in the Greater Tshwane Region

Abstract

The healthcare waste management practices undertaken at dental healthcare facilities are of great importance due to the infectious and hazardous nature of the waste and associated risks on the environment and public health. In this study, the knowledge, attitudes and practices of respondents towards the practices or procedures used in managing dental healthcare risk waste in the Greater Tshwane region, were explored.

Data were collected from 52 respondents using a questionnaire, which probed their knowledge, attitudes and practices towards healthcare waste management (HCWM) at dental healthcare facilities. Dental healthcare staff and facility managers of a dental academic hospital, two public hospitals, one public clinic and several private dental healthcare facilities were approached to complete the questionnaire. Their responses were captured and statistically analysed through the QuestionPro® online survey software.

The results were positively indicative that dental healthcare staff consider they have sufficient knowledge of HCWM. In this study, the respondents obtained an aggregated mean average score of 83% for knowledge, 75% for attitudes and 54% for practices towards managing dental healthcare risk waste at their respective facilities. With a score of 75%, the healthcare professionals displayed good attitudes towards HCWM and the need thereof. Attitude has a direct impact on the dental healthcare waste management practices applied. Practices at 54% were a clear indicator of what is happening at the dental healthcare facilities. It was interesting to note that public dental healthcare facilities were more compliant with HCWM than the private dental facilities. Results also indicated that there was no association between practices and the age or gender of the respondents, but rather that education and training were the determining factors for the appropriate execution of HCWM protocols. However,healthcare waste management practices are influenced by and affect staff, patients, community and environment in a long run.

Among other findings, the study found that 65% of the respondents had received training on the different aspects of HCWM either as undergraduate students or at the beginning of their new employment, which leaves the question of what happened to the remaining 35%. At least 80% of the respondents agreed that they should be vaccinated against hepatitis B and that such vaccination should be paid for by the employer. Again, the question is, what happens to those where the employer is not paying for the vaccination?

The replies from participants on the in-house training they received from their employer may be subjective according to his or his or her own understanding or perspective. The need to routinely educate all categories of dental healthcare staff members in order to ensure that the appropriate and standard execution of healthcare waste management practices is effected, is of greater importance than what the participants perceived. This will further increase compliance with healthcare waste management practice protocols. The results of this study provide a baseline of the knowledge, attitudes and practices of dental healthcare staff with regard to HCWM of dental waste. It is suggested that this baseline be used by dental healthcare facilities to develop an improvement plan to address the gaps identified.