Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37053157›Full record

ArticlePloS one2023

Knowledge and practice of facemask disposal among university students in Thailand: A new normal post the COVID-19 pandemic.

Narisara Kaewchutima, Nopadol Precha, Netnapa Duangkong, Anthika Jitbanjong, Ni Made Utami Dwipayanti

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Narisara KaewchutimaDepartment of Environmental Health and Technology, School of Public Health, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand.ORCID 0000-0003-0811-382X
Nopadol PrechaDepartment of Environmental Health and Technology, School of Public Health, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand.
Netnapa DuangkongDepartment of Environmental Health and Technology, School of Public Health, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand.
Anthika JitbanjongDepartment of Environmental Health and Technology, School of Public Health, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand.
Ni Made Utami DwipayantiSchool of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Udayana University, Bali, Indonesia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The use of facemasks is essential to prevent the transmission of COVID-19. University students are a significant demographic that generates substantial infectious waste due to the new normal practice of using disposable facemasks. In this cross-sectional study, we investigated the facemask disposal knowledge and practices among university students in Thailand between September and October 2022. We used a self-report questionnaire comprising 29 questions to determine the students' demographic characteristics and facemask disposal knowledge and practices. We then applied a logistic regression model to estimate the association between the students' facemask disposal knowledge and practices and their demographic characteristics. A total of 433 participants completed the questionnaire comprising health science (45.27%) and non-health science (54.73%) students. Surgical masks were the most popular masks (89.84%), followed by N95 (26.33%) and cloth masks (9.94%). While their levels of knowledge regarding facemask disposal were poor, the students' practices were good. The factors associated with proper facemask disposal were sex (AOR = 0.469, 95% CI: 0.267, 0.825), academic grade (AOR = 0.427, 95% CI: 0.193, 0.948), and knowledge level (AOR = 0.594, 95% CI: 0.399, 0.886). No demographic factors influenced knowledge. Our findings highlight the influence of facemask disposal knowledge on students' disposal practices. Information promoting the appropriate disposal practices should therefore be promoted extensively. Furthermore, continuous reinforcement by raising awareness and educating students on proper facemask disposal combined with the provision of adequate infectious waste disposal facilities could help reduce the environmental contamination of infectious waste and thus improve general waste management.

Indexed as

COVID-19MasksCross-Sectional StudiesHumansPandemicsStudentsThailandUniversities

Identifiers

PMID37053157
PMCPMC10101522

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.