Pornpimal Koobpatachak. Health risks from infectious waste among hospital personnel : a case study of Queen Sirikit hospital . Master's Degree(Environment Planning for Community and Rural Development). Mahidol University. : Mahidol University, 2006.
Health risks from infectious waste among hospital personnel : a case study of Queen Sirikit hospital
Abstract:
Hospital infectious waste create health effects among concerned persons
whose duties involve handling infectious waste. Since they were exposed to
infectious waste on a daily basis. This particular group had a high risk of being
infected by infectious waste. This research study was conducted to study health risks
among the personnel of Queen Sirikit Hospital in regard to various factors:
i) characteristics ii) motivation iii) policies and iv) health risk assessments.These personnel
comprised 135 persons selected from a group of administrators, practitioners,
infectious waste collectors and disposalist. The research tools consisted of: i)
structured in-depth interviews ii) questionnaires iii) observation iv) surveys v) health risk
assessment. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, percentage and mean .
The results of the study indicated that the rate of infectious waste from the
non-admission department to 0.01 kilograms/person/day and the rate of infectious
waste from the admission department was 0.16 kilograms/person/day. Total
infectious waste during the study was 589.1 kilogram with the most infectious waste
from the surgery department was135.1 kilograms ( 22.93 % of the total). Most
infectious waste contained medical supplies such as cotton balls and gauze, followed
by sharp objects.
The results of the study in regard to characteristics, motivation and policy
factors revealed that only the educational level of infectious waste collectors affected
health risks.
The result of health risks assessment suggested that the group of practitioners
had health risks at level 3 and the groups of waste collectors and disposal had health
risks at level 2. It recommended that the risk of infectious waste may be reduced by
improving the system of dealing with infectious waste based on guidelines of Health
Department, Ministry of Public Health ,Thailand.