Ana Luísa Corte-Real|Leonor Luz Duarte|Ana Luísa Teixeira|Maria Vaz Cunha|Catarina Calheno Rebelo|Ana Correia de Azevedo|João Mário Pinto|Andréia V. Faria|Sofia Sacramento|Filipa Machado|Daniel Martinho-Dias|Tiago Taveira?Gomes
Medical sharps in Portugal: a cross-sectional survey of disposal practices among the diabetic population
Centro Tecnológico das Indústrias Têxtil e do Vestuário de Portugal|Centro Tecnológico das Indústrias Têxtil e do Vestuário de Portugal|Centre for Health Technology and Services Research|Universidade do Porto|Universidade do Porto|Cooperativa de Ensino Superior Politécnico e Universitário|Centre for Health Technology and Services Research|Fernando Pessoa University
aim determine disposal site biohazardous materials resulting diabetes surveillance therapycrosssectional studyfive portuguese primary care facilitieswe randomly sampled diabetic patients representative five primary care facilities inclusion criteria consisted patients18 years old active diagnosis diabetes mellitus dm patients unable provide written informed consent excludedsociodemographic variables diabetes duration type treatment medical sharps disposal practices whether adequate disposal information provideda total 1436 diabetics included overall 538 diabetics conducted regular capillary glicemia measurements although 453 medical indication statistically significant predictors adequate disposal active professional status p0011 dm duration 5 10 years p0014 professionally inactive remained independent predictor multivariate logistic regression less fifth patients injectable therapy report advised healthcare staff regarding sharps disposal fifth latter report received wrong advice majority diabetics dispose biohazardous materials unsorted household waste 681 needlesdevices needles 716 lancets incorrect disposal sites identified recycling bins toilet home accumulation 191 needlesdevices needles 131 lancets disposed healthcare facilitiesmost diabetics unsafe disposal practices biohazardous materials mostly unsorted household waste identified unemployed independently predicts adequate disposal medical sharps found evidence low patient literacy topic well poor patient education therefore educating raising awareness among healthcare professionals crucial address public health issue