Pediatric First Aid Practices in Ghana: A Population-Based Survey

Area of Science:

• Pediatric emergency medicine
• Global child health
• Injury prevention and control

Background:

• Children in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) frequently receive medical care outside formal systems.
• Effective pre-hospital first aid significantly reduces trauma mortality.
• Research on home first aid for injured children in LMICs is limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess home first aid practices and care-seeking behaviors for injured children in LMICs.
• To identify recommended, low-risk, and potentially harmful first aid strategies used by caregivers.
• To understand caregiver awareness of appropriate responses to common childhood injuries.

Main Methods:

• A population-based survey of 200 caregivers representing 6520 households was conducted.
• Interviews focused on first aid practices for burns, lacerations, fractures, and choking in children under 18.
• Reported practices were categorized as recommended, low-risk, or potentially harmful.

Main Results:

• While 75-96% of caregivers knew recommended practices, 13-61% also reported potentially harmful ones.
• Burns had the highest rate of potentially harmful practices (61%), including kerosene application.
• Fractures showed the lowest rate of recommended practices (75%), with delays in seeking care.

Conclusions:

• Many caregivers in LMICs are aware of beneficial first aid but also employ harmful methods or delay medical attention.
• Parents act as primary first responders, highlighting the need for enhanced pre-hospital care education.
• Interventions are needed to improve home-based first aid for childhood injuries in LMICs.