Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39979880›Full record

ArticleBMC public health2025

Knowledge and practice of solid healthcare waste management among waste handlers in hospitals in Southern Ghana: a qualitative study.

Michael Affordofe, Emilia A Udofia, Enoch Akyeampong, Francis Ofosu Koranteng, Prudence Tettey, Paul K Botwe, Theresah Andoh, Elijah Kwasi Peprah, Hope Yaw Attah, Philip Tabong and 2 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BMC public health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing 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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Determinants of access to waste management services in healthcare facilities in 14 low- and middle-income countries.Waste management & research : the journal of the International Solid Wastes and Public Cleansing Association, ISWA · 2026
    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

12 authors.

Michael AffordofeDepartment of Biological, Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, P.O.Box LG 30, Legon, Accra, Ghana.
Emilia A UdofiaDepartment of Community Health, University of Ghana Medical School, College of Health Sciences, Korle-Bu, Accra, Ghana.
Enoch AkyeampongDepartment of Environmental Health and Sanitation, Accra School of Hygiene, Korle-Bu, Accra, Ghana.
Francis Ofosu KorantengDepartment of Biological, Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, P.O.Box LG 30, Legon, Accra, Ghana.
Prudence TetteyDepartment of Biological, Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, P.O.Box LG 30, Legon, Accra, Ghana.
Paul K BotweDepartment of Biological, Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, P.O.Box LG 30, Legon, Accra, Ghana.
Theresah AndohDepartment of Environmental Health and Sanitation, Accra School of Hygiene, Korle-Bu, Accra, Ghana.
Elijah Kwasi PeprahDepartment of Environmental Health and Sanitation, Accra School of Hygiene, Korle-Bu, Accra, Ghana.
Hope Yaw AttahDepartment of Environmental Health and Sanitation, Accra School of Hygiene, Korle-Bu, Accra, Ghana.
Philip TabongDepartment of Social & Behavioural Sciences, School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana.
Godfred BoatengDahdaleh Institute for Global Health Research, York University, Toronto, Canada.
Reginald QuansahDepartment of Biological, Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, P.O.Box LG 30, Legon, Accra, Ghana. rquansah@ug.edu.gh.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundDespite Ghana's healthcare waste management guidelines, improper solid waste management remains a public health concern. This study sought to assess the knowledge, and practices of waste handlers involved in solid healthcare waste management in selected health facilities in Accra, Ghana.

methodsThis study employed a descriptive phenomenology study design. All 31 waste handlers from Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Tema General Hospital, and Shai-Osudoku Hospital participated in this study. We employed a focus group discussion guide, transcribed the audio-recorded interviews, and then uploaded the data into NVivo 14 software for coding. We synthesized the output into themes, sub-themes, and verbatim quotes to support the sub-themes.

resultsThe waste handlers were able to describe the different types of healthcare waste, but they were unable to label the colour codes according to the national colours used to identify the waste as hazardous or non-hazardous. In many cases, there was no attempt at managing infectious and sharp wastes, which resulted in needle pricks, falls, or even injuries due to poor transport systems. Most of the waste handlers lacked infection-fighting vaccinations.

conclusionsFor effective healthcare waste management, which heavily relies on waste handlers, it is essential to improve personal protective equipment, vaccinations, colour-coded containers, and a supply of disinfectants/soap to prevent infections. Hospital administrators must receive training on the importance of these logistics to streamline the work of waste handlers and promote public health.

Indexed as

Health Knowledge, Attitudes, PracticeMedical Waste DisposalAdultFemaleFocus GroupsGhanaHumansInterviews as TopicMaleMiddle AgedQualitative ResearchMedical Waste DisposalKnowledge and practicesMedical waste handlersSolid healthcare wasteWaste handlers

Identifiers

PMID39979880
PMCPMC11841344

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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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.