Biomedical waste management: Knowledge and perception among second year undergraduate students of a dental institute Saleem Mohammad1, Ara Anjum2* 1Associate Professor, General Pathology, Faculty of Dentistry, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India 2Assistant Professor, General Pathology, Faculty of Dentistry, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India *Corresponding author email id: aara@jmi.ac.in
Online published on 10 February, 2021. Abstract Background: Improper handling and indiscriminate disposal of biomedical waste (BMW) is hazardous for health and environment. A large amount of health care waste is created daily in dental hospitals. Dental students should have proper knowledge regarding how to dispose BMW appropriately to prevent infections and other hazards. Aims: (1) To assess the knowledge and attitude towards BMW management among undergraduate dental students. (2) To assess the effect of BMW management tutorial on their knowledge and attitude. Methods: Students of second year Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) course were asked to respond to a questionnaire on BMW management followed by a tutorial on proper handling and management of BMW in the beginning of the session. Three months later, students were again asked to fill the questionnaire to assess the change in knowledge and attitude towards BMW. Results: 41 students responded to questionnaire. Before the tutorial, knowledge of students was found to be sketchy. All the students recognized biohazard symbol. Majority (over 90%) knew that BMW is hazardous, different colored bags are used to dispose BMW etc. But, majority of students were not aware of correct colored bag for specific BMW. Tutorial had a positive impact on their knowledge and majority of students developed a positive attitude towards BMW management. All of them were keen to learn more about BMW management. Conclusion: It is important to train dental students in their early career to inculcate best BMW management practices in their later professional life. Top Keywords Attitude, Biomedical waste, Dental, Knowledge, Undergraduate. Top |