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Patterns and determinants of potentially harmful first aid practices in children with acute poisoning

Kavinda Dayasiri1

  • 1Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya, Thalagolla Road, PO Box 06, Ragama, Sri Lanka. kavindadayasiri@gmail.com.

BMC Research Notes
|April 4, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Nearly 30% of children under 12 experienced harmful first aid for acute poisoning. Low maternal education, remote healthcare access, and cultural beliefs significantly influenced these dangerous practices.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Emergency Medicine
  • Toxicology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Acute poisoning is a significant concern in children.
  • Inappropriate pre-hospital first aid can worsen outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze harmful first aid practices in pediatric acute poisoning.
  • To identify factors influencing caregiver pre-hospital management.

Main Methods:

  • Cross-sectional study of 384 children under 12 with acute poisoning.
  • Utilized univariate and multivariate analyses.
  • Incorporated qualitative findings on caregiver decision-making.

Main Results:

  • 29.4% of children received harmful first aid; household chemicals were common agents.
  • Harmful practices linked to low maternal education, remote healthcare access, and cultural beliefs.
  • Qualitative data revealed knowledge gaps and financial/cultural influences.

Conclusions:

  • Targeted interventions are crucial to address knowledge gaps and socio-cultural factors.
  • Improving caregiver education and healthcare access can reduce harmful first aid.
  • Addressing cultural beliefs is essential for effective pre-hospital poisoning management.
Abstract

Keywords:
Acute poisoningChildrenFirst-aid practices

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