Conocimientos, actitudes y prácticas sobre la eliminación de desechos hospitalarios por el personal de salud: Artículo de revisión

The central problem addressed by this research is the deficient management of hazardous healthcare waste, which constitutes a highly critical microbial reservoir that represents a substantial threat to public health, both within the hospital environment and in the community. In this context, the objective of this study is to analyze, through a literature review, the current state of knowledge, attitudes, and practices of health personnel regarding the management of such hospital waste. Information sources included scientific databases such as PubMed, SciELO, Redalyc, Springer, ProQuest, Medigraphic, Google Scholar, as well as documents from the World Health Organization (WHO), the National Institute of Statistics and Census (INEC), and the Ministry of Public Health (MSP). Only articles published in the last five years that were included in indexed scientific journals and met the established methodological criteria were considered, excluding those that did not meet these conditions. The findings lead us to conclude that strict adherence to established protocols for the safe disposal of healthcare waste is essential, with the primary goal of reducing workplace injuries and preventing further illnesses that could compromise the well-being of healthcare workers.