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How much do parents know about first aid for burns?
M Davies1, S Maguire, C Okolie
1Cochrane Institute of Primary Care and Public Health, Cardiff University School of Medicine, Cardiff, UK.
Insights
Parental knowledge of burn first aid is often inadequate, with only 32% demonstrating adequate understanding. Prior first aid training significantly improves this knowledge, highlighting the need for targeted education for new parents.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Emergency Medicine
- Public Health
- First Aid Education
Background:
- Prompt first aid is crucial for reducing burn morbidity in children.
- Annually, approximately 19,000 children in the UK require emergency department (ED) visits for burns or scalds.
- Parental knowledge of burn first aid is a critical factor in immediate post-injury care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the extent of parental knowledge regarding burn first aid.
- To identify the primary sources of this knowledge among parents.
- To assess the correlation between demographic factors and burn first aid knowledge.
Main Methods:
- A structured questionnaire was administered to parents in emergency and antenatal departments.
- Demographic data, burn first aid knowledge, and knowledge sources were collected.
- Knowledge was categorized (contraindicated, poor, inadequate, adequate) and analyzed using chi-squared tests and logistic regression.
Main Results:
- Only 32% of the 106 respondents possessed adequate burn first aid knowledge; 43% had poor or no knowledge.
- Higher socioeconomic status and prior first aid training were significantly associated with better knowledge.
- Previous first aid training was the most influential factor, with 74% of trained parents having adequate knowledge.
Conclusions:
- Parental knowledge of burn first aid is generally inadequate and linked to lower socioeconomic status.
- A significant association exists between burn first aid knowledge and prior training.
- Targeted burn first aid training for all new parents, especially those in low-income households, is recommended.
Background:
Prompt first aid reduces burn morbidity. With an estimated 19,000 children attending emergency departments (ED) with a burn or scald every year in the UK, a parent's knowledge of first aid is particularly important. This study evaluates the extent and source of this knowledge.
Methods:
Parents attending the emergency and antenatal departments of a University Hospital answered a structured questionnaire detailing demographics, knowledge of burns first aid and its source. Knowledge was stratified into 4 categories: contraindicated, poor, inadequate and adequate. Individual chi-squared tests and ordered logistic regressions were performed to relate knowledge to demographic features.
Results:
The 106 respondents (44% men) reflected a wide range of socio-economic (SE) grouping and educational level. Overall 32% had an adequate knowledge of burns first aid while 43% had poor or no knowledge. There was no significant correlation between gender, educational status or age and knowledge; however those from higher SE groups (p<0.05) and those who had undergone first aid training (p<0.01) had greater knowledge. Among 40% of parents who had undergone first aid training, 74% had adequate knowledge. The logistic regression accounting for all significant variables showed that previous first aid training was the most influential factor in knowledge of first aid (p<0.001). Interestingly, although 2/3 of parents wanted further training, 75% of those who did not had poor or no first-aid knowledge.
Conclusions:
Overall, the knowledge of burns first aid among parents is inadequate and correlates with lower SE groups. There was a significant association between knowledge and previous first aid training. Results suggest that targeting burns first aid training to all new parents, particularly those in low income households, would be of value.
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