Journal of Oral Health and Community Dentistry

Register      Login

VOLUME 16 , ISSUE 3 ( September-December, 2022 ) > List of Articles

SURVEY

A Web-based Survey to Assess the Knowledge and Practice Regarding Biomedical Waste Management during COVID-19 among Oral Health Professionals

Gyanendra Kumar, Ferah Rehman, Monica Kelkar, Meera Choudhary, Sumita Upadhayay, Manvi Srivastava, Shreya Tripathi

Keywords : Biomedical waste management, Coronavirus disease-2019 pandemic, Infection control, Questionnaire

Citation Information : Kumar G, Rehman F, Kelkar M, Choudhary M, Upadhayay S, Srivastava M, Tripathi S. A Web-based Survey to Assess the Knowledge and Practice Regarding Biomedical Waste Management during COVID-19 among Oral Health Professionals. J Oral Health Comm Dent 2022; 16 (3):145-150.

DOI: 10.5005/jp-journals-10062-0154

License: CC BY-NC 4.0

Published Online: 23-03-2023

Copyright Statement:  Copyright © 2022; The Author(s).


Abstract

Objectives: The study aimed to assess the knowledge and practice of biomedical waste (BMW) management among dental practitioners in India during the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic era. Materials and methods: This descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted via a web-based questionnaire survey done among 1,500 dentists across the country, and responses were collected between the months of May 2020 to June 2020. The use of descriptive statistics such as percentage analysis and frequency analysis of the survey respondents was done to describe the data. The Chi-square test was used to detect any correlation between the dentists’ responses concerning their gender and level of education and age. Variables with p < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results: The study engaged a total of 1,093 responses out of the 1,500 invited dentists, forming a response rate of 72.86%. Among these were 69.9% female and 30.1% male dentists. A 100% correct response was observed with the questions on the source of infection of COVID-19, frequency of disinfection of the dental chair, and cross-infection related to the disposal of BMW. The questions regarding the practice of donning off and disposing of personal protective equipment (PPE) were mostly incorrect with a percentage of 16.1 and 26.9%, respectively. The association between practice score and knowledge score concerning either gender was not significant (p > 0.05) whereas, the association with the level of education and age was found to be statistically significant (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The dentists in India were well informed of the hazardous waste generated in hospitals and clinics and were aware that it should be disposed off properly, especially in times of COVID-19. However, they lacked proper knowledge of the guidelines for disposing of specific types of waste during this pandemic.


HTML PDF Share
  1. World Health Organization. Infection prevention and control during health care when novel coronavirus (nCOV) is suspected. Available at: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/10665-331495/. Accessed on: 19 March 2020.
  2. World Health Organization. WHO coronavirus (COVID-19) dashboard. Available at: https://covid19.who.int/. Accessed on: 14 July 2021.
  3. Pollution watchdog releases guidelines to handle COVID-19 biomedical waste. Available at: https://india.mongabay.com/2020/03/pollution-watchdog-releases-guidelines-to-handle-covid-19-biomedical-waste/. Accessed on: 24 March 2020.
  4. Central Pollution Control Board, Delhi. Guidelines for handling, treatment, and disposal of waste generated during treatment/diagnosis/quarantine of COVID-19 patients. Available at: https://www.mohfw.gov.in/pdf/63948609501585568987 wastesguidelines.pdf/. Accessed on: 25 March 2020.
  5. Central Pollution Control Board Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change. Guidelines for management of healthcare waste as per biomedical waste management rules, 2016. Available at: http://www.ppcb.gov.in/Attachments/Bio%20Medical%20Waste/Guidelines_healthcare_June_2018.pdf/. Accessed on: 25 March 2020.
  6. The New Indian Express Online. Central Pollution Control Board tracking COVID-19 waste disposal daily through app. Available at: https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2020/jun/09/central-pollution-control-board-tracking-covid-19-waste-disposal-daily-through-app-2154065.html/. Accessed on: 9 June 2020.
  7. Khubchandani K, Devi KM, Gunasekaran S, et al. Knowledge, attitude, and practices of biomedical waste management among clinical dental students. J Global Oral Health 2020;3(2):110–117. DOI: 10.25259/JGOH_35_2020.
  8. Kulkarni SS, Sushanth VH, Prashant GM, et al. Current knowledge, attitude and practices of dental residents towards biomedical waste management: A cross-sectional study. J Glob Oral Health 2019;2:23–28. DOI: 10.25259/JGOH_31_2019.
  9. Pawar PA, Patil TS. Knowledge, practice and attitude of dental care waste management among private dental practitioners in Latur city. Int Dent J Stud Res 2016;5:80–84. DOI: 10.18231/2278-3784.2017.0016.
  10. Rao D, Dhakshaini MR, Kurthukoti A, et al. Biomedical waste management: A study on assessment of knowledge, attitude and practices among health care professionals in a tertiary care teaching hospital. Biomed Pharmacol J 2018;11:1737–1743. DOI: 10.13005/bpj/1543.
  11. Sabino SR, Jardim ACG, Siqueira WL. Coronavirus COVID-19 impacts to dentistry and potential salivary diagnosis. Clin Oral Investig 2020;24(4):1619–1621. DOI: 10.1007/s00784-020-03248-x.
  12. Putrino A, Raso M, Magazzino C, et al. Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Italy: Knowledge, management of patients and clinical experience of Italian dentists during the spread of contagion. BMC Oral Health 2020;20(1):200–215. DOI: 10.1186/s12903-020-01187-3.
  13. Sarfaraz S, Shabbir J, Mudasser MA, et al. Knowledge and attitude of dental practitioners related to disinfection during the COVID-19 pandemic. Healthcare 2020;8(3):232. DOI: 10.3390/healthcare8030232.
  14. Lu CW, Liu XF, Jia ZF. 2019-nCoV transmission through the ocular surface must not be ignored. Lancet 2020; 395(10224):e39. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30313-5.
  15. To KKW, Tsang OTY, Yip CCY, et al. Consistent detection of 2019 novel coronavirus in saliva. Clin Infect Dis 2020;71(15):841–843. DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciaa149.
  16. Alfahan A, Alhabib S, Abdulmajeed I, et al. In the era of corona virus: Health care professionals’ knowledge, attitudes, and practice of hand hygiene in Saudi primary care centres: A cross-sectional study. J Community Hosp Intern Med Perspect 2016;6(4):41–46:32151. DOI: 10.3402/jchimp.v6.32151.
  17. Peng X, Xu X, Li Y, et al. Transmission routes of 2019-nCoV and controls in dental practice. Int J Oral Sci 2020;12(1):9. DOI: 10.1038/s41368-020-0075-9.
  18. Alharbi A, Alharbi S, Alqaid S. Guidelines for dental care provision during the COVID-19 pandemic. Saudi Dent J 2020; 32(4):181–186. DOI: 10.1016/j.sdentj.2020.04.001.
  19. Ma QX, Shan H, Zhang HL, et al. Potential utilities of mask wearing and instant hand hygiene for fighting SARS-CoV-2. J Med Virol 2020;2(9):1567–1571. DOI: 10.1002/jmv.25805.
  20. Marui VC, Souto MLS, Rovai ES, et al. Efficacy of preprocedural mouthrinses in the reduction of microorganisms in aerosol: A systematic review. J Am Dent Assoc 2019;150(12):1015.e1–1026.e1. DOI: 10.1016/j.adaj.2019.06.024.
  21. Yousef K, Al-Nsour M, Al-Batayneh OB, et al. Dentist's awareness, perception and attitude regarding COVID-19 and infection control: Cross-sectional study among Jordanian dentists. JMIR Public Health Surveill 2020;6(2):e18798. DOI: 10.2196/18798.
  22. Kampf G, Todt D, Pfaender S, et al. Persistence of coronaviruses on inanimate surfaces and their inactivation with biocidal agents. J Hosp Infect 2020;104(3):246–251. DOI: 10.1016/j.jhin.2020.01.022.
PDF Share
PDF Share

© Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers (P) LTD.