Knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of intern doctors at Aydın Adnan Menderes University Faculty of Medicine regarding medical waste

Introduction and Objective: Medical wastes generated during the delivery of health services pose serious risks to both public health and the environment if not managed properly. The awareness of health workers on this issue is critical for the delivery of safe and sustainable health services. This study aimed to determine the knowledge, attitude, and behavior levels of intern doctors at Aydın Adnan Menderes University Faculty of Medicine regarding medical waste management and to examine the sociodemographic factors affecting these levels. Material and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted with 264 intern doctors at Aydın Adnan Menderes University Faculty of Medicine between 01.12.2024 and 30.04.2025. Data were collected using a sociodemographic and knowledge level form prepared by the researchers, and the "Medical Waste Attitude and Behavior Scale (MWABS)". Descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney U test and Spearman correlation analysis were used for data analysis. Results: 52.3% of the participants were male and the mean age was 24.5±1.4 years. The mean medical waste knowledge score of the intern doctors was 9.47±2.08 out of 18 (moderate level), and the mean total MWABS score was 95.47±14.59 out of 120 (high level). Knowledge scores of female participants were found to be significantly higher than males, and those with a GPA of 3.00 and below had significantly higher knowledge scores compared to those with higher GPAs (p<0.05). Scale scores of participants who spent most of their lives in urban areas were significantly higher than those from rural areas (p<0.05). A significant positive correlation was found between the knowledge score and the attitude and behavior scale score. Conclusion: Intern doctors' knowledge levels regarding medical waste are moderate while their attitudes and behaviors are at a high level. Increased knowledge positively affects awareness regarding medical waste management. It is recommended to increase practical applications regarding medical waste management in the pregraduation medical education curriculum and to ensure the continuity of awareness training. Keywords: Medical waste, waste management, intern doctor, knowledge, attitude.