Knowledge, behaviour and microbial load of workers handling dental solid waste in a public health service in Brazil
| Autor: | Thaysa Leite Tagliaferri, Paula Prazeres Magalhães, Camilla Aparecida Silva de Oliveira, Simone Gonçalves dos Santos, Maria Auxiliadora Roque de Carvalho, Cristina Dutra Vieira, Luiz de Macêdo Farias |
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| Rok vydání: | 2017 |
| Předmět: |
Risk
Hazardous Waste Health Knowledge Attitudes Practice 030505 public health Environmental Engineering Municipal solid waste Waste management business.industry Health Personnel Dental Waste 010501 environmental sciences Solid Waste 01 natural sciences Pollution Public health service 03 medical and health sciences Hazardous waste Health care Humans Business Medical Waste Disposal 0305 other medical science Environmental planning Brazil 0105 earth and related environmental sciences |
| Zdroj: | Waste Management & Research: The Journal for a Sustainable Circular Economy. 35:680-685 |
| ISSN: | 1096-3669 0734-242X |
| Popis: | Healthcare wastes are those generated inside healthcare services, including dental clinics. Workers coming into close proximity to hazardous healthcare waste are potentially at risk. In an attempt to assess the knowledge and attitudes of workers dealing with infectious waste, a questionnaire was administered. The biological risk was investigated by evaluating the microbial load and screening some clinically relevant micro-organisms in the nasal mucosa, hands and coats of these workers. The results showed that 66.6% of the study population had incomplete primary education. Only two workers have had their blood tested to confirm anti-HBs levels. Microbial load evaluation on hand surfaces of morning workers showed statistically significant lower microbial loads after the workday when compared with the beginning of the work period. It is important to highlight that some clinically relevant bacteria, such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae were isolated from worker’s hands. This study revealed the need for more training programmes regarding awareness of safe waste disposal protocols and also the necessity of discussing vaccination and its implications. Data regarding microbial loads of the worker’s hands, mostly at the beginning of the workday when handwashing is recommended worldwide, emphasise that hygiene measures should receive more attention during training exercises. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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