First-Aid Practices and Knowledge Regarding Snake and Scorpion Bites Among Patients Attending Onandjokwe State Hospital, Namibia: A Hospital-Based Cross-Sectional Study

Snake and scorpion bites pose a significant public health burden, with an estimated global annual morbidity rate of 5.4 million and 1.2 million, respectively. Various first-aid methods are commonly practiced in communities, aiming to improve the chances of survival after bites. This study evaluated community practices for first aid on snake and scorpion bites and examined the alignment of these practices with WHO recommendations. This will determine the need for targeted educational interventions to promote evidence-based and safe first-aid practices.

A cross-sectional study was conducted amongst patients served by the Onandjokwe State Hospital from November to December 2024, with a total of 103 participants included in the study. The study assessed practices on occasions of bites, the perceived need for intervention, health-seeking behaviors, and barriers to healthcare access when bites occur.

A total of 103 participants were included in the study, with 36.9% of participants having personal experiences with bites and 74.8% knowing someone who has been bitten. Only 0.97% of participants have received formal first-aid training for bites, and 91.26% indicated that their communities would benefit from educational campaigns aimed at imparting knowledge on appropriate first-aid practices. Only 12.6% of participants reported recommended first-aid practices. Potentially harmful practices mentioned included the application of tourniquets, making incisions at bite sites, suctioning venom from wounds, and consuming various substances such as urine, Colophospermum mopane leaves, and other unspecified traditional remedies. Participants exhibited positive health-seeking behavior, with 98.1% stating they would go to the hospital after bites. This is important as it demonstrates continued public trust in the healthcare system, with individuals presenting to hospitals in cases of bites, where appropriate treatment, such as antivenoms, can be provided to them. However, several barriers, such as distance, finances, and transportation, were identified by participants as reasons that delay timely hospital presentation after bites.

Communities would benefit from targeted educational campaigns on proper practices, and many would welcome such initiatives.