Attached
Introduction: Diabetic patients on insulin therapy are compelled to use
sharps such as insulin needles and lancets on a regular basis. A s a result
thousands o f used sharps and bloodstained materials are generated daily
by them. While there is a huge concern over sharps disposal practices in
healthcare settings, the sharps disposal practices o f diabetic patients living
at home has been poorly documented.
M ethodology: Randomly selected sample o f 158 diabetic patients were
obtained from the diabetic clinic, Colombo North Teaching Hospital.
Data collected using an interviewer administered questionnaire and clinic
records.
Results: Sample population was aged between 21 and 90. Mean age 60.
Majority had used insulin for more than 1 year 131/158 (83 %). Very few
5/158 (3 %) used the insulin pen while majority used syringes 153
(96.8 %) to inject insulin. Only 10 (6 %) regularly checked blood sugar
using needles/Iancets. Majority 132/158(84 %) injected insulin more than
twice per day and >50 % used the same needle more than 6 times, for
more than 3 days. Majority 150/153(98 %) o f the syringe users recapped
the needle. A significant number 73/158(46 %) also involved others when
injecting and disposing needles. Two patients reported knowledge o f an
accidental needle-stick injury having occurred, both in cases where a
family member routinely assisted with the injections.
Used needles/pens were disposed in to a common household garbage bin,
shaips container, toilet pit, garbage dump and indiscrim inately by
66(42 %), 9(6 %), 8(5 %), 4(8 %), 11(7 %) respectively. Some 15/158
(9.5 %) have collected shaips since beginning without disposing. Many
respondents 147/158 (93 %) had received no information on how to
dispose o f their sharps. Those who recalled receiving information were
more likely to dispose o f then- sharps safely p < 0.05.
Conclusions: Insulin-dependent diabetic patients are not educated on safe
sharps disposal methods, leading to unsafe disposal o f needles hence
putting people at risk for injury. Appropriate education on the correct
disposal o f sharps should be an integral part o f their diabetic counselling.
A national program for disposal o f sharps at Homes should be
implemented.
Dr. K R Atukorala 31 years obtained MBBS from Faculty o f Medicine,
University o f Colombo, Sri Lanka is currently attached to the department
o f Physiology, Faculty o f Medicine, University o f Sri Jayaatdenapura as a
lecturer. She has published and communicated her research work in number o f local and international conferences.
