Abstract

MELO, Charliene Pinto de; BARBOSA, Ludimila Borges; SOUZA, Marise Ramos de  and  BARCELOS, Ivanildes Solange da Costa. Descriptive study of health service waste management in the municipality of Jataí, Goiás, 2010. Epidemiol. Serv. Saúde [online]. 2013, vol.22, n.3, pp.517-524. ISSN 1679-4974.  http://dx.doi.org/10.5123/S1679-49742013000300017.

OBJECTIVE: to describe health service waste (HSW) management in the municipality of Jataí-GO, Brazil. METHODS: this descriptive study was conducted in 15 health institutes using data collected through a semi-structured questionnaire over ten months in 2010. RESULTS: the professionals responsible for HSW management in the institutions analyzed were mainly female (13/15) (p=0.002). Their average age was 32.9, on average they had 33 years of experience in their position and 13/15 had Nursing degrees. The identification, segregation and packaging of potentially infectious waste, household waste and sharps were found to be prioritized in all the institutions. Differences were noted between institutions regarding treatment, transportation and storage. Final disposal occurred at the municipal landfill site. Individual protection equipment use by employees transporting HSW waste was considered insufficient. CONCLUSION: HSW management compliance with current regulatory rules was considered to be lacking.

Keywords : Health Services; Solid Waste; Biological Agents; Occupational Risks.

        · abstract in Portuguese     · text in Portuguese     · Portuguese ( pdf )