Knowledge, attitudes, and practices on disposal of used sharp waste in home settings among Insulin self-injecting diabetic patients attending the clinics at Teaching Hospital Batticaloa, Sri Lanka

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus is a long-term condition affecting millions of people globally, requiring continuous medical care and management. Many people with diabetes depend on insulin for their treatment. Lack of knowledge, attitude, and practices about disposing of sharp waste among insulin self-injecting diabetic patients can lead to sharp accumulation at home, posing a needle stick injury risk to household members and the community. Not only needle stick injuries but also being at risk of contracting a life-threatening disease. The objective of the study is to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of insulin self-injecting diabetic patients on sharp waste disposal at their home settings attending the clinics at Teaching Hospital Batticaloa. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted by recruiting 110 insulin self-injecting diabetic patients who attended clinics of the Professorial unit clinics (medical ward 04, 35) and Endocrine clinic, Teaching Hospital Batticaloa using complete enumeration based on the inclusion criteria from May 2024 to July 2024. A validated interviewer administered questionnaire was used to collect data on socio-demographics and information on knowledge, attitude, and practices on sharp waste disposal in their home settings. Statistical package for social sciences version 26 (SPSS 26) was used for analyzing the data based on the objectives. The majority of the participants were aged more than 50 years, female (60.9%), married (80.9%), had mid-level education (38%), unemployed (50%), urban (60%), had monthly family income between LKR.26,000-50,000 (49.1%). Around half of the participants (50.9%) had been diagnosed with diabetic mellitus for more than three years. The majority of participants had a high level of knowledge (82.7%), moderate level of attitude (71.8%), and poor practice (81.8%) regarding the safe handling and disposal of sharp waste. The findings showed that there was a relationship between knowledge level on sharp waste disposal and gender (P-value=0.022), educational status (P-value=0.003), and monthly income (P-value=0.016). Also, there was a relationship between attitudes towards sharp waste disposal and educational status (P-value=0), monthly income (P-value=0). Practice on sharp waste disposal is associated with educational status (P-value=0), and occupation (P-value=0.031). Study participants had a high level of knowledge, moderate attitude, and poor practice toward sharp waste disposal. Around half of the patients were informed about the proper way to disposal of used needles. These results highlight the need for targeted interventions to improve knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding sharp waste disposal in this population.