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Basic life support, a necessary inclusion in the medical curriculum: a cross-sectional survey of knowledge and
Nelson Ssewante1, Godfrey Wekha2, Angelique Iradukunda2
1School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda. nelson.ssewante1@gmail.com.
Insights
Ugandan medical students demonstrate poor knowledge of Basic Life Support (BLS) despite recognizing its importance. Integrating practical BLS training into their curriculum is crucial for improving emergency response readiness.
Area of Science:
- Emergency Medicine
- Medical Education
- Public Health
Background:
- Uganda's health system lacks a defined emergency response, contributing to high out-of-hospital cardiac arrest rates from road accidents and rising non-communicable diseases.
- Medical students are vital for strengthening emergency response, necessitating an evaluation of their knowledge and attitudes toward Basic Life Support (BLS) curriculum integration.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the knowledge and attitudes of undergraduate medical students in Uganda regarding Basic Life Support (BLS).
- To determine the association between student demographics and BLS knowledge.
- To evaluate student interest in incorporating BLS into their academic curriculum.
Main Methods:
- A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in 2021 among undergraduate medical students in Uganda.
- An online questionnaire distributed via WhatsApp assessed BLS knowledge and demographics.
- Statistical analyses, including Chi-square, Fisher's exact test, and logistic regression, were performed using STATA 15.
Main Results:
- Out of 351 participants, 71.2% were male and 77.8% were under 25. Only 42.7% had formal BLS training.
- Less than a third (29.3%) possessed good BLS knowledge (≥50%), with an average score of 42.3%.
- Age, academic progress, and prior BLS training were significantly associated with good BLS knowledge (p<0.05). Participants with prior training showed higher knowledge (aOR: 1.7).
Conclusions:
- Undergraduate medical students in Uganda exhibit inadequate BLS knowledge but acknowledge its critical importance.
- Educational institutions should implement practical teaching strategies, including clinical exposure and community engagement, to enhance BLS proficiency.
- There is strong student desire (97.7%) for BLS to be a mandatory part of their medical curriculum.
Background:
Uganda continues to depend on a health system without a well-defined emergency response system. This is in the face of the rising cases of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest contributed largely to the high incidence of road traffic accidents. Non-communicable diseases are also on the rise further increasing the incidence of cardiac arrest. Medical students are key players in the bid to strengthen the health system which warrants an assessment of their knowledge and attitude towards BLS inclusion in their study curriculum.
Methods:
A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in 2021 among undergraduate medical students across eight public and private universities in Uganda. An online-based questionnaire was developed using Google forms and distributed via identified WhatsApp groups. Chi-square or Fisher's exact test and logistic regression were performed in STATA 15 to assess the association between knowledge of BLS and demographics. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results:
Out of the total 354 entries obtained, 351 were analyzed after eligibility screening. Of these, (n = 250, 71.2%) were male less than 25 years (n = 273, 77.8%). Less than half (n = 150, 42.7%) participants had undergone formal BLS training. Less than a third of participants (n = 103, 29.3%) had good knowledge (≥ 50%) with an overall score of 42.3 ± 12.4%. Age (p = 0.045), level of academic progress (p = 0.001), and prior BLS training (p = 0.033) were associated with good knowledge. Participants with prior training were more likely to have more BLS knowledge (aOR: 1.7, 95% CI: 1.1-2.7, p = 0.009). The majority (n = 348, 99.1%) believed that BLS was necessary and would wish (n = 343, 97.7%) to have it included in their curriculum.
Conclusions:
Undergraduate medical students have poor BLS knowledge but understand its importance. Institutions need to adopt practical teaching methods such as clinical exposures, field experience in collaboration with local implementers, and participating in community health promotion campaigns.
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