الفهرس 
INTRODUCTIONOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Healthcare waste management (HCWM) is a significant problem in most of the developing countries as it is in Egypt. Although significant progress has been made, existing HCWM practices still need plenty of modifications and improvements. Some of the most common problems identified are inadequate waste management practices, lack of awareness concerning the hazards of HCW , insufficient financial and human recourses, absence of written polices and protocols and that waste management is often delegated to poorly educated and untrained workers, who perform without proper guidance or adequate protection.
Although 75 percent to 90 percent of hospital waste is a general non-hazardous waste, the remaining 10 to 25 percent of the waste is regarded as hazardous and may create a variety of health risks. Hazardous HCW contains sharps, infectious pathogens, toxic chemicals, heavy metals, and may contain substances that are genotoxic or radioactive. These substances have potential to cause adverse effects to human health and the environment if not handled properly. Of particular concern is the risk of infection to those who handle the waste and the general public whenever hazardous HCW is abandoned or disposed of improperly.
The study was conducted in the Intensive Care Units (ICUs) and Operating Rooms (ORs) in El-Hadara University Hospital. The study aimed at assessing the knowledge of healthcare workers, in the ICUs and the ORs, as regards the HCWM procedures, assessing the HCWM procedures adopted in these units, and assessing the infrastructure of the Central storage area (CSA) of HCW.
A cross-sectional survey was used to assess the knowledge of resident physicians and nurses, involved in direct patient care in the ICUs and the ORs, as well as waste handlers, involved in handling and on-site transportation of HCW, as regards the HCWM procedures. It was followed by a prospective survey which was used to assess the HCWM procedures adopted in these units, and to identify the current waste handling practices within the hospital premises. In addition to assessing the infrastructure of CSA of hazardous HCW , throughout the six months period of the fieldwork starting from November 2012 till the end of April 2013.
The results of the study are presented in the following sections:
Part I: Description of the knowledge regarding HCW management procedures for resident physicians, nurses and waste handlers.
As regards waste segregation procedures, it was revealed that on average 72.1% of physicians (100%, 59.6 %, 65.4 % and 63.5% for the segregation items) stated their awareness of segregation procedures compared to 69.5% of nurses(85%, 63.9%, 72.8% and 56.5% for the segregation items). On the other hand, only 52.3% of waste handlers (59.4%, 40.6%, 78.1% and 31.2% for the segregation items.) stated their knowledge regarding the segregation procedures.