A design study of infectious waste management systems for small health care providers in North Eastern Thailand

Abstract

In this thesis, the design of infectious waste management systems (IWMs) of small health care providers (SHCPs) in North Eastern Thailand has been investigated on a theoretical and experimental basis. A critical survey of the literature has found that there is an urgent need for further research into the design of these IWMs at a systems design as well as an operational level of inquiry, especially as no related empirical studies have been detected in the literature for SHCPs in North Eastern Thailand. Based on a systems design approach, a comprehensive, model of an infectious waste management system has been developed progressively; firstly from a thematic review of the literature, and subsequently from empirical research based on surveys of ten SHCPs spread across a representative area of the Isan Region in North Eastern Thailand. This empirical research has employed a mixed-methods research design, as commonly used in the social sciences, in order to achieve a triangulation comparison of qualitative and quantitative data and, hence, provide a relatively strong validation of research findings. A pilot study, involving the design and testing of design concepts for a sharps container, has also been carried out (at a systems‟ operational level) to add useful expert feedback and further support the findings of the theoretical and empirical investigation. As a result of a progressive design process, based on updated empirical evidence, the final generic model of the IWMS proposed comprises seven main parameters and forty-three respective constituent variables appropriate for the SHCPs surveyed, and with potential for further deployment as a generic or generally applicable model in other health care providers, subject to more research. This proposed model is supported by a novel checklist which may be used as a tool by personnel in SHCPs to study and possibly make improvements in their respective IWMs. In addition, recommendations are included for current and future research in this field. Finally, a substantial data base of empirical, qualitative and quantitative information is provided in the attached Appendices, along with a Bibliography.

Date of Award	2013
Original language	English
Supervisor	Livio Bonollo (Supervisor), Don Carson (Supervisor) & Jonathan Bremner (Supervisor)