Knowledge-practice disparity in healthcare waste management: A comparative survey during and after the COVID-19 pandemic in a Tunisian university hospital
Restricted accessResearch articleFirst published online March, 2026
Knowledge-practice disparity in healthcare waste management: A comparative survey during and after the COVID-19 pandemic in a Tunisian university hospital
Non-adherence to proper Healthcare Waste Management (HCWM) has the capacity to trigger healthcare-associated infections, posing a threat to the well-being of both patients and medical staff. Thus, the aim of this research is to compare healthcare worker knowledge and practices related to waste management during and after the Covid-pandemic in a Tunisian university hospital.
Methods
We performed two cross-sectional surveys in September of 2021 and October of 2023. We used a standardized grid to assess the availability of resources and the compliance with practices. A self-administered questionnaire, validated by the Regional Office for Nosocomial Infection Control in France, was used to assess HCWM knowledge.
Results
We recruited 160 healthcare workers in 2021 and 114 in 2023. A decline was observed in the proper on-site sorting from 2021 to 2023 (84.4% vs 71.9%; p = 0.01). The availability of resources and materials improved from 2021 to 2023. However, there was a significant decrease in adherence to proper waste management practices between 2021 and 2023 (61% vs 39.1%; p = 0.01).
Conclusion
This study sheds light on HCWM knowledge and practices gap. Addressing this through multidimensional strategies is needed for safer healthcare environments for the community.
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