1Institute of Orthopaedics and Traumatology; Coimbatore Medical College; Tamilnadu Drmgr Medical University
2Dhanalakshmi Srinivasan Medical College & Hospital, Siruvachur, Perambalur district- 621113 Tamil Nadu, India
Background: Biomedical waste (BMW) poses a significant health hazard in India, where rapid population growth has increased the demand for healthcare and the subsequent generation of infectious materials. Improper disposal of this waste by medical and research institutions can lead to the transmission of serious diseases such as HIV and Hepatitis. This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) regarding BMW management among various healthcare professionals at Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital (CMCH). Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 105 participants, including interns, medical students, nurses, and nursing students. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire consisting of 30 questions—10 each for knowledge, attitude, and practice. Responses were analyzed using statistical parameters, including mean, standard deviation, and analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results: The findings revealed that knowledge levels were highest among interns, who achieved an average score of 8.05, followed by nursing students at 7.75. ANOVA testing indicated that knowledge was not uniform across the different groups (mean\ square = 3.84), with significant variation observed. While attitude scores were generally high across all categories (mean total 7.59), practice scores were notably lower, with nursing students recording the lowest mean of 6.30. Conclusion: The study highlights a critical need for continuous training programs to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and clinical practice. Interestingly, the principles of safe waste disposal are rooted in ancient Tamil culture and Sangam literature, such as the Purananoor, which emphasizes the segregation of infected materials. Strengthening modern management systems through education will ensure public safety and the effective control of life-threatening infectious diseases.
Biomedical waste, also known as infectious or medical waste, is defined as the waste generated during the diagnosis, testing, treatment, research, or production of biological products for humans or animals⁽¹⁾. Biomedical waste has become a serious health hazard in many countries, including India. Careless and indiscriminate disposal of this waste by health care establishments and research institutions can contribute to the spread of serious diseases such as hepatitis and AIDS (HIV) among those who handle it and also among the general public⁽²⁾. Owing to rapid population growth in India, the demand for health care has increased significantly. Simultaneously, the number of hospitals, small and medium-scale nursing homes, and clinics has rapidly increased, generating large quantities of infectious waste⁽³⁾. The marked increase in disposable health-care materials⁽³⁾ exacerbates the problem. The biomedical waste generator and the operator of the common biomedical waste treatment and disposal facility (CBWTF) are responsible for the safe handling and disposal of such waste⁽²⁾. The State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) shall issue authorisation to the health care facilities and CBWTFs and monitor compliance with the provisions of the rules. All the hospitals have made an agreement with the CBWTF for the collection, transportation, treatment, and scientific disposal of the biomedical waste atthe state level⁽²⁾. In Tamil Nadu, the biomedical waste awareness program was started by the Government of Tamil Nadu in 2008 through the Project for Upgrading Safety in Health (PUSH) care project⁽³⁾. This program was conducted to raise awareness among all health care professionals in the best practice of biomedical waste management and handling rules 1998, as formulated by the Government of India⁽⁴⁾. Our study aimed to analyse the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of biomedical waste management among various health care professionals in Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital in South India⁽³⁾.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The study was conducted in Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital. One hundred health care professionals were the study group, comprising interns and undergraduate medical students belonging to different medical sspecialities nursing students, and nurses. In our study, knowledge is defined as the written response of the healthcare professionals to the structured questionnaire prepared by the investigator on biomedical waste management. Attitude is defined as the written response of the health care professional on their perspective toward biomedical waste management. Practice is defined as the written response of the health care professional on how they identify, segregate, and pack biomedical waste for internal transportation in the hospital. In our study, it is assumed that all the healthcare professionals will have knowledge about biomedical waste management, and it is also assumed that all the individuals involved in the study will cooperate and give only correct information. Individuals not involved in the segregation of biomedical waste are excluded from the study. One hundred candidates were given thirty questions, and they were asked to answer them in a specified time of thirty minutes. Ten questions for knowledge, ten for attitude, and ten questions for practice of biomedical waste management were given. These questions were randomly selected from the manuals of biomedical waste management and reference textbooks. Then the results were analysed with different statistical parameters like standard deviation and analysis of variance. Further analysis was done to determine the relationship between each variable in each study group and between different study groups.
RESULTS
The statistical results of our study, [table1] indicate that the knowledge of biomedical waste management is higher among interns who have scored an average of 8.05, followed by nursing students (7.75), undergraduate medical students (7.70), and nurses (7.58). The results also indicate that interns demonstrated a higher level of knowledge than undergraduate medical students, as biomedical waste management is part of their academic curriculum.The results indicate that nursing students demonstrated a high level of knowledge than practicing nurses,as a biomedical waste management is part of their curriculum.
Table 1: Mean and Standard deviation of knowledge, Attitude and Practice among Health Care groups
The result of ANOVA analysis, [table2], indicated that knowledge was not uniform among individual groups, with a mean square of 3.84, and there exists considerable variation within the groups with a mean square of 0.96. There is a correlation between knowledge, attitude, and practice among doctors, laboratory technicians, nursing staff, and nursing students.
Table 2: ANOVA test for knowledge, attitude and practice between groups and within groups
DISCUSSION
This study is in correlation with the study conducted by Deo et al. in 200,6 in which the average score is highest in the medical personnel, l followed by the paramedical students (nursing students) ⁽⁶⁾. Gupta et al, in a study on biomedical waste management, revealed that infectious and non-infectious waste are dumped together in the hospital premises and disposed of with municipal waste. The result of the study concluded the need for enforcement of legal provisions and a better environmental management system for disposal of biomedical waste⁽⁷⁾. Biomedical waste should be collected from every ward in order to eliminate many infectious diseases. This has been described previously during the Dravidian period, confirmed by the excavations near Adichanallur in Tamil Nadu. Hence, biomedical waste management practices are not new to mankind⁽⁸⁾. The study clearly shows that proper training on biomedical waste management will result in better practice and knowledge on biomedical waste management⁽⁹⁾. Sangam literature, like Purananoor, states that corpses, blood and infected material were kept away from water sources. Burning and burial were common methods⁽¹⁰⁾. The ancient Tamil scriptures demonstrate a scientific understanding of hygiene, infection control,l and waste disposal. The principles of segregation, safe disposal, disinfection, and environmental protection were clearly practised in ancient times, forming an early foundation for modern public health and biomedical waste management systems⁽¹⁰⁾.
CONCLUSION
Our study revealed the importance of biomedical waste management and how training programs help all the health care professionals from various institutions to improve their knowledge on biomedical waste management thereby contributing to public safety and control the spread of infectious diseases which are life threatening such as HIV and Hepatitis B. From the given references, it is very clear that our ancestors segregated human waste efficiently and our only duty is to follow them and utilise the resources that our ancestors had given us. "IDENTITY LOST IS STRENGTH LOST," hence, we should make use of the resources and work hard for the betterment of our society.
REFERENCES
Vetrivel Chezian Sengodan*, Yazhini Ashok Kumar, Anees B., Divakar R., Vishnu K., Kap Study on Biomedical Waste Management in A Tertiary Care Hospital in India, Int. J. Med. Pharm. Sci., 2026, 2 (3), 383-386. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19223794
10.5281/zenodo.19223794
