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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · J Lab Physicians
DOI: 10.1055/s-0043-1772220
Original Research

Knowledge and Attitude Toward the Practice of Circular Economy in Conjunction with Biomedical Waste Management Among Dental Practitioners and Technicians in Belagavi, India

Varkey Nadakkavukaran Santhosh 
1   Department of Public Health Dentistry, KLE VK Institute of Dental Sciences, KLE Academy of Higher Education and Research (KLE University), Belagavi, Karnataka, India
,
Anil Ankola 
1   Department of Public Health Dentistry, KLE VK Institute of Dental Sciences, KLE Academy of Higher Education and Research (KLE University), Belagavi, Karnataka, India
,
Roopali Sankeshwari 
1   Department of Public Health Dentistry, KLE VK Institute of Dental Sciences, KLE Academy of Higher Education and Research (KLE University), Belagavi, Karnataka, India
,
Sagar Jalihal 
1   Department of Public Health Dentistry, KLE VK Institute of Dental Sciences, KLE Academy of Higher Education and Research (KLE University), Belagavi, Karnataka, India
,
Atrey J. Pai Khot 
1   Department of Public Health Dentistry, KLE VK Institute of Dental Sciences, KLE Academy of Higher Education and Research (KLE University), Belagavi, Karnataka, India
,
Anu Sara Varghese 
1   Department of Public Health Dentistry, KLE VK Institute of Dental Sciences, KLE Academy of Higher Education and Research (KLE University), Belagavi, Karnataka, India
,
Prajakta Chavan 
1   Department of Public Health Dentistry, KLE VK Institute of Dental Sciences, KLE Academy of Higher Education and Research (KLE University), Belagavi, Karnataka, India
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Abstract

Background Circular economy promotes resource sustainability and has positive impact on the environment. It helps in the sustainable use of biomedical waste (BMW) that is generated in dental care facilities and laboratories.

Aims This article assesses the knowledge and attitude toward the practice of circular economy in conjunction with BMW management among dental practitioners and technicians.

Methodology This study adopted a cross-sectional design. Based on the findings from the pilot study, the sample size was estimated and 640 total participants were included. Reliability of questionnaire comprising of 23 close-ended questions were assessed with Cronbach's α value of 0.85, face validity of 84%, and content validity ratio of 0.78.

Statistical Analysis Data was analyzed using descriptive analysis, chi-square test, analysis of variance test, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and multiple linear regression.

Results Mean overall knowledge score was highest among faculty (5.28 ± 1.53) and least among technicians (1.88 ± 0.84). There was a statistically significant difference in knowledge among the five groups (p < 0.001). Majority of the participants had a positive attitude toward circular economy; however, technicians had the least mean overall attitude scores (7.50 ± 1.84). A positive linear correlation was seen between the knowledge and attitude scores. The dependence of various demographic variables on knowledge and attitude was found to be 46.1 and 11.6%, respectively.

Conclusion Dental faculty had significantly higher knowledge compared with other dental practitioners and technicians. However, knowledge on circular economy was below the optimal level among the participants, but all had predominantly favorable attitude toward circular economy.

Keywords

biomedical waste - circular economy - dental waste - sustainability - waste management - solid waste

Authors' Contributions

V.N.S.: Conceptualization, investigation, project administration, visualization, writing - original draft, and writing - review and editing.


A.A.: Resources, supervision, validation, data curation, formal analysis, and methodology.


R.S.: Resources, supervision, methodology, validation, and writing - review and editing.


S.J.: Resources, supervision, validation, writing - original draft, and writing -review and editing.


A.J.P.K.: Software, data curation, writing - original draft, and writing - review and editing.


A.S.V.: Data curation, software, and writing - review and editing.


P.C.: Software, data curation, and writing - review and editing.


Ethical Approval and Informed Consent

Ethical approval for this research was obtained from KLE VK Institute of Dental Sciences Institutional Review Board (Ref. No: 1530).. The study's purpose was explained to the participants, and their written informed consent was obtained.




Publication History

Received: 30 November 2022

Accepted: 11 July 2023

Article published online:
10 August 2023

© 2023. The Indian Association of Laboratory Physicians. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

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