{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,20]],"date-time":"2026-10-20T23:39:28Z","timestamp":1792539568886,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":37,"publisher":"Springer Science and Business Media LLC","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,20]],"date-time":"2026-07-20T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1784505600000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,21]],"date-time":"2026-10-21T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1792540800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":93,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["link.springer.com"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Sci Rep"],"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>Healthcare waste poses significant risks to human health and the environment when improperly managed. In low-income countries such as Ethiopia, healthcare waste management remains a major public health concern, particularly among waste handlers who are directly exposed during waste handling processes. This study aimed to assess healthcare waste management practices, associated factors, and barriers among waste handlers in healthcare facilities in Gondar City, Northwest Ethiopia. An institution-based mixed-methods study was conducted from May 30 to June 30, 2025, among 372 waste handlers selected using multistage sampling techniques. Quantitative data were collected using structured questionnaires and analyzed using Bivariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses. Qualitative data were collected through a descriptive phenomenological approach and analyzed thematically. The prevalence of good healthcare waste management practices was 39.4%(95% CI:34.3,44.5). Type of healthcare facility, work section, training, disposal system type, availability of personal protective equipment (AOR:5.63;95%CI:2.64,12.02), knowledge (AOR:4.44;95%CI:2.38,8.26), and attitude (AOR:7.86;95%CI:4.05,15.28) were significantly associated with healthcare waste management practices. Qualitative findings revealed major barriers including shortage of human resources, poor disposal systems, weak institutional supervision and also insufficient availability of personal protective equipment was a key barrier that limited waste handlers\u2019 ability to perform their work safely and effectively. Healthcare waste management practices among waste handlers in Gondar City were inadequate. Strengthening regular training programs, ensuring adequate provision of personal protective equipment, improving waste disposal systems, and enhancing institutional supervision are essential to promote safe waste management practices and reduce occupational health risks.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-026-63019-8","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,20]],"date-time":"2026-07-20T17:23:34Z","timestamp":1784568214000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/springer_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Healthcare waste management practice, associated factors and barriers among waste handlers in healthcare facilities of Gondar City, Ethiopia"],"prefix":"10.1038","volume":"16","author":[{"given":"Rahel Simeneh","family":"Alemu","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mulat","family":"Gebrehiwot Teklu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Tirsit Endale","family":"Bireda","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Eliyas Addisu","family":"Taye","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Bikes Destaw","family":"Bitew","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"297","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,20]]},"reference":[{"key":"63019_CR1","first-page":"53","volume":"9","author":"MO Elamin","year":"2020","unstructured":"Elamin, M. O., Sanhouri, M. & Mohamed, H. R. Study of knowledge, attitudes, and practices among sanitary workers regarding medical waste management in Khartoum Locality Teaching Hospitals, 2019. Int. J. Med. Res. Health Sci. 9, 53\u201362 (2020).","journal-title":"Int. J. Med. Res. Health Sci."},{"key":"63019_CR2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1186\/s13104-019-4316-y","volume":"12","author":"TD Yazie","year":"2019","unstructured":"Yazie, T. D., Tebeje, M. G. & Chufa, K. A. Healthcare waste management current status and potential challenges in Ethiopia: a systematic review. BMC Res. Notes. 12, 1\u20137 (2019).","journal-title":"BMC Res. Notes"},{"issue":"1","key":"63019_CR3","first-page":"7672981","volume":"2018","author":"T Deress","year":"2018","unstructured":"Deress, T., Hassen, F., Adane, K. & Tsegaye, A. 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Healthcare waste management practices and associated factors in private clinics in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Environ. Health Insights. 16, 11786302211073383 (2022).","journal-title":"Environ. Health Insights"},{"issue":"1","key":"63019_CR9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"26","DOI":"10.17511\/ijphr.2018.i1.04","volume":"5","author":"U Kaoje","year":"2018","unstructured":"Kaoje, U. et al. Biomedical waste handling and knowledge of its health hazards among waste handlers in a tertiary hospital in Sokoto, Nigeria. Public. Health Rev. Int. J. Public. Health Rev. 5 (1), 26\u201332 (2018).","journal-title":"Public. Health Rev. Int. J. Public. Health Rev."},{"key":"63019_CR10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Yenesew, M. A., Moges, H. G. & Woldeyohannes, S. M. A cross sectional study on factors associated with risk perception of healthcare workers toward healthcare waste management in health care facilities of Gondar Town, Northwest Ethiopia. Int. J. Infect. 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Global analysis of healthcare waste in the context of COVID-19: status, impacts and recommendations (World Health Organization, 2022)."},{"key":"63019_CR20","unstructured":"Bassey, G. TEXILA INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH."},{"issue":"4","key":"63019_CR21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e0266037","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0266037","volume":"17","author":"G Mitiku","year":"2022","unstructured":"Mitiku, G., Admasie, A., Birara, A. & Yalew, W. Biomedical waste management practices and associated factors among health care workers in the era of the covid-19 pandemic at metropolitan city private hospitals, Amhara region, Ethiopia, 2020. PloS one. 17 (4), e0266037 (2022).","journal-title":"PloS one"},{"key":"63019_CR22","unstructured":"Mahamed, A. A. 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BMC public. health. 19, 1\u201310 (2019).","journal-title":"BMC public. health"}],"container-title":["Scientific Reports"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41598-026-63019-8","content-type":"text\/html","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41598-026-63019-8.pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41598-026-63019-8.pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,20]],"date-time":"2026-10-20T23:06:57Z","timestamp":1792537617000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41598-026-63019-8"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,20]]},"references-count":37,"journal-issue":{"issue":"1","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,12]]}},"alternative-id":["63019"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41598-026-63019-8","relation":{},"ISSN":["2045-2322"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2045-2322","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,20]]},"assertion":[{"value":"11 May 2026","order":1,"name":"received","label":"Received","group":{"name":"ArticleHistory","label":"Article History"}},{"value":"15 July 2026","order":2,"name":"accepted","label":"Accepted","group":{"name":"ArticleHistory","label":"Article History"}},{"value":"20 July 2026","order":3,"name":"first_online","label":"First Online","group":{"name":"ArticleHistory","label":"Article History"}},{"value":"The authors declare no competing interests.","order":1,"name":"Ethics","label":"Competing interests","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Declarations"}},{"value":"Ethical clearance was obtained from the research and institutional review board of the institute of public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar with Ref No\/IPH\/3236\/2025. The support letter was obtained from respected office. Verbal informed consent was taken after explaining the purpose of the study. Study participants have a right to withdraw at any time during the interview. Informed consent was also obtained from the healthcare facilities. Permission was take for audio recording. All collected records, was kept confidentially. All methods were carried out in accordance with relevant guidelines and regulations, and informed consent was obtained from all participants.","order":2,"name":"Ethics","label":"Ethics approval and consent to participate","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Declarations"}}],"article-number":"33089"}}