Mapping the public first-aid training landscape: a scoping review

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Emergency Medicine
• First Aid Training

Background:

• The public's role in emergency response is vital for saving lives.
• Effective public intervention hinges on adequate first aid skills, confidence, and willingness to assist.
• Systematic analysis of first aid literature is necessary to understand public preparedness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically analyze the global literature on public first aid knowledge, training uptake, confidence, and willingness to help in emergencies.
• To identify barriers and enablers related to learning and performing first aid.
• To assess the current state of public first aid preparedness.

Main Methods:

• A five-stage framework was used to review 54 articles from 22 countries.
• Literature analysis focused on public first aid knowledge, training uptake, confidence, willingness to help, and barriers/enablers.
• Studies predominantly originated from Asia, Australia, Europe, and the United States.

Main Results:

• High self-reported public knowledge, confidence, and willingness to help during emergencies were observed.
• However, low uptake of formal first aid training and low tested skill-specific knowledge were identified.
• Barriers to learning and applying first aid were also noted.

Conclusions:

• While the public perceives itself as capable of helping in emergencies, actual preparedness is limited by low training uptake and knowledge gaps.
• The findings indicate a need for significant improvements in the first aid training landscape.
• Enhancing first aid education accessibility and effectiveness is crucial for maximizing public contribution to emergency response.