THE CURRENT SITUATION OF MEDICAL SOLID WASTE CLASSIFICATION BY HEALTHCARE WORKERS AT THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY OF MEDICINE AND PHARMACY HOSPITAL

Abstract

The objective of the study is to assess the current situation of medical solid waste classification by healthcare workers at Thai Nguyen University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital in 2025. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 90 healthcare workers from 6/2024 – 5/2025. The results showed that female participants accounted for 68.9%, which was higher than males at 31.1%. The majority of participants were aged between 30 and 40 years (56.7%), and those with more than 10 years of working experience made up the largest proportion (61.1%). A total of 360 observations were recorded, with physicians accounting for 43.3% and nurses/technicians for 56.7%. Correct classification rate for infectious waste was 87.8%; for sharp waste, 97.8%; for general/domestic waste, 77.8%; and for recyclable waste, 81.1%. The overall correct classification rate of medical solid waste among healthcare workers was 72.2%. There was a statistically significant difference in the general classification of medical waste by gender, professional title, age group, and years of experience (p < 0.05). The correct classification rate of medical solid waste among healthcare workers at Thai Nguyen University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital remains relatively low.