Knowledge and compliance for current guidelines of biomedical waste management among dental health professionals of national capital region during COVID 19 pandemic

Abstract

Introduction: The highly contagious nature of the coronavirus and improper management of biomedical waste (BMW) may have severe ill effects on the ecosystem. Hence, a study was conducted to evaluate dental health professional knowledge, attitudes, and practice regarding biomedical waste management (BWM) during COVID-19 in the National Capital Region of India. Materials and Methods: A structured, self-administered questionnaire was developed regarding BMW management during COVID-19 and distributed among dental health professionals in dental teaching institution. The collected data was analyzed using Chi-square test along with the one-way analysis of variance, and P < 0.05 were considered significant. Results: More than half of the participants were unaware of the correct disposal of pharmaceutical waste and did not change their masks according to the guidelines given by the Central Pollution Control Board during pandemic. The mean knowledge score of faculty was found to be significantly higher when compared to undergraduate and postgraduate students. Conclusions: This study revealed that the level of knowledge regarding BMW management was inadequate among all the participants in the survey. Hence, dental health professionals should be educated regarding the hazards associated with improper waste disposal at all levels and trained in proper BMW management.