Effects of first-aid training in junior high schools

As part of a campaign aimed at increasing first-aid knowledge and skills, a training program was introduced in Norwegian junior high schools in 1997/98. The program comprised a textbook, a video and a teacher's manual. A quasi-experimental design was applied to evaluate the effects. Data were collected by pre- and post-test questionnaires to 82 randomly selected schools. Indexes for knowledge of first aid, attitudes towards giving and learning first aid, self-efficacy, emotions connected with first-aid situations and intended behavior in situations requiring first-aid action were constructed. In the intention-to-treat analysis of these indexes, the difference between the intervention and control group was modest. A separate questionnaire filled in by the teachers showed a low degree of implementation of the program. When comparing those classes that really used the program with the control classes, significant differences were revealed in many of the variables. Both self-efficacy, emotions in situations requiring first-aid skills and attitudes toward giving and learning first aid were of importance for intended behavior.