Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “FIRST AID”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1980

Who accepts first aid training?

The percentage of individuals trained in first aid skills in the general community is inadequate. We report here a study to investigate factors which influence motivation to accept voluntary training in first aid. A group of 700 randomly selected owners of inground swimming pools (a parental high-risk group) was offered a course of formal first aid instruction. Nine per cent attended the offered training course. The time commitment involved in traditional courses (eight training nights spread over four weeks) is not a deterrent, the same percentage accepting such courses as that who accept a course of one night's instruction. Cost is an important deterrent factor, consumer resistance rising over 15 cost units (one cost unit = the price of a loaf of bread). The level of competent first aid training within the community can be raised by (a) keeping to traditional course content, but (b) by ensuring a higher acceptance rate of first aid courses by a new approach to publicity campaigns, to convince prospective students of the real worth of first aid training. Questions concerning who should be taught first aid, and factors influencing motivation, are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

The use and cost of first aid in the food and drink manufacturing industry.

The Health & Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 require all companies to consider the provision of first-aid care at work. Information was obtained by postal questionnaires returned by 36 food and drink manufacturing companies on the provision and cost of the first-aid care they provide, as well as the types of treatment that their first aiders administer. Almost all of the companies complied with the legislation by providing trained first aiders and adequate treatment equipment and facilities. The average cost of first-aid provision was 16.00 pounds per worker per year. The majority (93%) of the first-aid treatment provided was of a minor nature. The study demonstrates that first aiders only infrequently use their specialist knowledge and skills for the management of serious or life-threatening medical emergencies. Based on the results of the study, and on the results of previous studies concerning the provision of first-aid care and the training requirements for first aiders, it is concluded that the present emphasis on the provision of minor treatment and the current first-aid training system have resulted in first aiders not being adequately trained to save life, the main objective of first-aid care. A case is made for first-aid training to be reduced in content, but undertaken more frequently, to ensure that first aiders can adequately manage an acute, life-threatening medical emergency.

Education↗
PubMed2005

Burn first aid in Western Australia--do healthcare workers have the knowledge?

Burn injuries treated with adequate immediate first aid are associated with more favourable outcomes, limiting tissue damage and subsequent morbidity including the need for surgery. Cool running water at a temperature of between 10-15 degrees C for 20 to 30 minutes is considered adequate burn first aid treatment. A prospective audit of all new patients (n=227) with burns, attending the minor burn facility at Royal Perth Hospital showed only 88 (39%) patients received appropriate first aid. Fifty percent of patients receiving inappropriate first aid, had this delivered by his or her primary health care contact. This study aims to determine the knowledge of burns first aid among healthcare workers (HCW) and compare this to the general population. A customized survey was performed, four sample cases were included with 4 possible answers in a multiple choice format. All case studies asked the participant to record immediate first aid management. On a case by case basis, burn first aid knowledge was fair but overall knowledge very poor, only 18.8% of respondents achieving 4 correct responses. The uptake of first aid courses was high among HCW at 75% but particularly low among the NHCW at 28%. Our study has shown the value of performing such a course, with a statistically significant (p=0.00) difference between participants who had completed a first aid course and those that had not. The purpose of this study was to quantify knowledge of burns first aid with a view to providing directed education, studies have shown the success of multimedia campaigns. It has been shown that good first aid improves the outcome for the burn patient and this study demonstrates that participation in a first aid course improves knowledge. It is justifiable to progress toward compulsory first aid courses which include first aid of the burns patient to improve outcomes for the community as a whole.

Burns↗
PubMed1979

First-aid preparedness in small workplaces with special reference to occupational health services.

First-aid preparedness was surveyed in 163 small firms employing 2,400 persons. Although 11% of the employees had received first-aid training, half of the firms lacked first-aiders. Only one-fourth of the first-aid kits were equipped according to instructions. Checking and maintenance of the equipment, as well as information about first aid at the place of work, were generally inadequate. Instructions were commonly lacking for the safe use of chemical substances. Only 9% of the firms fully complied with the requirements for optimum first-aid preparedness. Employers at small firms seem not to be sufficiently aware of their liabilities with regard to first aid. Yet, most of the faults and defects could be corrected by means of arrangements within the firms once the instructions were better known. During their visits to places of work occupational health personnel should inspect the first-aid preparedness and advise the employer on first-aid requirements. In addition the expertise of the insurance company, the local Red Cross or the regional institute of occupational health may be utilized.

Finland↗
PubMed2001

[First aid kit for travelers].

The first aid kit for travellers is essentially thought to permit symptomatic self-treatment of common and mostly trivial health problems abroad. If professional medical assistance is likely not to be accessible a few additional items--e.g. an antibiotic--must be considered. The indications and proper handling of any medication which requires a physician's prescription have to be carefully explained to its potential user. The decision as to recommend drugs other than those in the basic first aid kit must take into account not only the risk of particular diseases but also the ability of the traveller to applicate a drug in the correct way for defined indications.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed2002

Effects of first-aid training in junior high schools.

As part of a campaign aimed at increasing first-aid knowledge and skills, a training program was introduced in Norwegian junior high schools in 1997/98. The program comprised a textbook, a video and a teacher's manual. A quasi-experimental design was applied to evaluate the effects. Data were collected by pre- and post-test questionnaires to 82 randomly selected schools. Indexes for knowledge of first aid, attitudes towards giving and learning first aid, self-efficacy, emotions connected with first-aid situations and intended behavior in situations requiring first-aid action were constructed. In the intention-to-treat analysis of these indexes, the difference between the intervention and control group was modest. A separate questionnaire filled in by the teachers showed a low degree of implementation of the program. When comparing those classes that really used the program with the control classes, significant differences were revealed in many of the variables. Both self-efficacy, emotions in situations requiring first-aid skills and attitudes toward giving and learning first aid were of importance for intended behavior.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Mother's knowledge of first aid--an exploratory study.

Mothers' knowledge of first aid was assessed using a questionnaire comprising 13 multiple choice questions. The results showed that approximately three-quarters of the mothers correctly answered 70% of the questions. Whilst higher intelligence and previous training in first aid were shown to be associated with better scores, the effects were small. Some aspects of first aid which deserve more emphasis in training courses were identified.

Female↗
PubMedDate not supplied

An analysis of demand for first-aid care at a major public event.

INTRODUCTION: First aid is the initial care of the ill or injured. It aims to preserve and protect life, prevent further injury or deterioration of illness, and help promote recovery. At major public events, there is a large gathering of people, physical spectacles, and equipment within a concentrated area, where organized first-aid care is provided. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the demand for primary medical care at a public event by identifying the patients and initial symptoms that may predict that demand, and to use such information to improve the efficiency and delivery of medical care. METHODS: A questionnaire was completed by St. John Operations Branch personnel after each patient consultation and a retrospective analysis of the data was conducted. RESULTS: A total of 1,276 questionnaires were returned. Mean patient presentation rate (PPR) was 1.9 +/- 0.47 per 1,000 show attendees. This correlated best with the maximum daily temperature (r = 0.715, p <0.02) and show day (r = 0.615, p <0.05). There was poor correlation with daily attendance (r = -0.235, p >0.54). Mean presentation time was 15:13 h. Of those whose gender was recorded, 58.4% were females, and 41.6% were males. The most frequent age group was 13 to 20 years. The nature and number of initial symptoms are listed. Basic first-aid skills were used for 96.7% of symptoms; 2.4% of patients were referred to the hospital. CONCLUSIONS: Temperature and show day significantly contributed to variability of PPR. These factors, together with an estimated PPR and predicted attendance, can be used to forecast demand. Most cases required only basic first-aid skills. Guidelines are suggested for management by nonmedical personnel. A medical officer's role is not reliably defined, but involvement in consultation is suggested.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Examining self-perceived first-aid abilities after the Northridge earthquake.

INTRODUCTION: This study examines those factors predictive of self-perceived first-aid abilities among a community-based sample after the 1994 Northridge earthquake. METHODS: A probabilities-proportionate-to-size (pps) sample of residents of Los Angeles Country and 11 pre-selected zip codes from southeastern Ventura County was selected using computer-generated random digit-dialing (rdd) procedures 7-11 months after the earthquake. Data were collected from 506 individuals in 45 minute interviews. A unidimensional scale of self-perceived first-aid ability was created and represents the dependent variable in a causal path model. RESULTS: In a causal path model, standardized path coefficients suggested that while reports of taking first-aid courses were the most influential factors in predicting higher self-perceived first-aid abilities, other factors including being white, younger, speaking English in the home, and lower income also predicted higher self-perceived first-aid abilities that were independent from taking formal first-aid courses. CONCLUSIONS: First-aid training should be directed towards target segments of the population that are not likely to have had instruction in these basic skills. Those individuals who self-report high first-aid proficiency, independent of formal first-aid training, should be evaluated to assess their abilities to perform these skills.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Lack of burning and stinging from a novel first-aid formulation applied to experimental wounds.

Antiseptic-anesthetic first aid formulations typically produce a burning or stinging sensation when used on wounds. The aim of this study was to assess the lack of sting/burn potential of a prototype first-aid wipe when applied to superficial wounds. This was a one-day, double-blind, randomized study, evaluating the stinging/burning sensation from a prototype first-aid wipe with a cellulose base containing 1.0% pramoxine HCL and 0.13% benzalkonium chloride. The study followed a direct comparison test design of four test formulations. The remaining three articles were: (a) sterile 0.9% sodium chloride (no-sting/no-burn control), (b) 3% hydrogen peroxide (first-aid sting/burn control), and (c) 70% isopropyl alcohol (second sting/burn control). The test was performed on 24 subjects. The tape stripping method was used to create four standardized wounds on the volar forearms, reaching the glistening layer. Each test article was applied to the wound for 15 seconds. The subjects were asked to report the intensity of the stinging/burning sensation during the application. The prototype pramoxine-benzalkonium chloride wipe produced significantly less stinging/burning than both 70% isopropyl alcohol and 3% hydrogen peroxide. Also, the prototype wipe did not produce more stinging and burning in superficial wounds compared to the saline control.

Administration, Topical↗
PubMed2002

The effect of first aid training on Australian construction workers' occupational health and safety motivation and risk control behavior.

METHOD: A 24-week experiment was conducted to assess how first aid training affects the motivation of small business construction industry employees in avoiding occupational injuries and illnesses and its effect on their occupational health and safety behavior. A simplified multiple baseline design across workplace settings was used to evaluate the effects of first aid training. Participants' motivation to control occupational safety and health risks was explored during in-depth interviews before and after receipt of first aid training. Objective measurement of occupational safety and health behavior was conducted by a researcher directly observing the workplace before and after participants received first aid training. RESULTS: The observations at participants' worksites suggested that, for the most part, the first aid training had a positive effect on the occupational safety and health behavior of participants. First aid training appeared to reduce participants' "self--other" bias, making them more aware that their own experience of occupational safety and health risks is not beyond their control but that their own behavior is an important factor in the avoidance of occupational injury and illness. First aid training also appeared to reduce participants' willingness to accept prevailing levels of occupational safety and health risk and increase the perceived probability that they would suffer a work-related injury or illness. Participants expressed greater concern about taking risks at work after receiving first aid training. IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: It appears that first aid training enhances participants' motivation to avoid occupational injuries and illnesses and improves their risk control behavior. The implications of this are that first aid training can have a positive preventive effect and could complement traditional occupational health and safety training programs. As such, there may be benefit in providing first aid training to all employees rather than limiting this training to a small number of designated "first aiders."

Accident Prevention↗
PubMed2003

[First aid measures by bystanders at the place of accident. A prospective, epidemiologic study in the Vienna area].

The object of this prospective, epidemiological study was to determine whether bystanders provided necessary first aid measures in the prehospital trauma setting, whether they performed these measures correctly, and whether the level of first aid training affected the quality of first aid measures performed. Data were collected by means of a questionnaire, which was filled out between March and July 2000 for all cases attended to by the Vienna Ambulance Service. A total of 2812 cases were documented. The most frequent causes of trauma were falls from heights less than 1 meter (50%) and traffic accidents (17%). The most frequent injuries were injuries to the extremities (59%) and head and traumatic brain injuries (42%). Most patients were "moderately" or "severely" injured (69% and 29%, respectively), but life-threatening injuries were rare (2%). Bystanders were present in 57% of the cases. The most frequently required first aid measures were "application of a dressing" and "positioning" of the patient. "Control of haemorrhage", "ensuring accident site safety" and "extrication" of the patient were less frequently required. "Clearing of the airway", "precautions against hypothermia" and cardio-pulmonary resuscitation were very rarely required. Bystanders were most frequently policemen, relatives or friends of the patient, and strangers. The vast majority of bystanders had no training in first aid or had only attended the first aid course required to attain a driving license. We found a clear relationship between the level of first aid training and the quality of first aid measures provided. It would be advisable to offer an increased amount of refresher courses in first aid to improve bystander trauma care.

Accidental Falls↗
PubMed1999

Assessment of first-aid knowledge and decision making of high school athletic coaches.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the first-aid knowledge and decision making of interscholastic athletic coaches exposed to athletic injuries. DESIGN AND SETTING: Survey demographic information, First- Aid Assessment, and Game Situation Data Sheet in 17 metropolitan high schools. SUBJECTS: A total of 17 metropolitan high schools participated in this study, and 104 athletic coaches completed questionnaires. Fifteen different athletic sports were represented in this investigation. Thirty coaches (29%) worked with more than one athletic sport during the year. Male subjects constituted 83% (n = 85) of the sample. Years of coaching experience ranged from first-year coaches to those with more than 28 years of experience. Most coaches (61%, n = 63) investigated were teachers, and the remaining subjects were walk-on coaches. MEASUREMENTS: Central tendency scores were determined in the demographic analysis. x(2) analyses were performed to determine the interaction between First-Aid Assessment and the Game Situation Data. RESULTS: Thirty-eight (36%) of the 104 athletic coaches tested achieved passing scores of 29 or higher, with the total scores ranging from 19 to 34. For the Game Situation Data Sheet, 75% (n = 78) of the coaches selected the same response to 7 questions. Most coaches in this study chose to return injured players to the game. We analyzed the data to determine whether coaches who passed the First-Aid Assessment responded differently than those who did not. (The scenario presented in one question involved a starting player's sustaining injury when losing a close game.) Coaches who passed the First-Aid Assessment tended to return injured starters to the game, whereas those who failed it kept injured players out of the game. x(2) analysis on the second question (the team is winning a close game when a regular player is injured) showed no tendency for passing or failing coaches to respond differently. CONCLUSIONS: The athletic coaches did not adequately meet first-aid standards as established for this study in accordance with the American Red Cross. In addition, coaches who passed the First-Aid Assessment tended to return an injured starter to the game, whereas those who failed decided to keep the player out of the game. It is critical that an unbiased, objective professional person provide all medical care on the athletic playing field, preferably one who is certified in athletic training.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1980

Life-supporting first aid self-training.

The authors studied the acquisition of life-supporting first aid knowledge and skills by 230 lay people in self-training group instruction without qualified first aid instructors and self-training at home. The self-training course consisted of audiotape-recorded instructions, flipover charts, an instruction booklet, first aid materials and a "Resusci Anne" training mannikin. The same instruction booklet and first aid materials were used for self-training at home. The two teaching systems were equally effective in providing theoretical first aid knowledge, but the course proved superior in teaching practical skills.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Evaluation of consumer uses of first aid recommendations on pesticide labels.

In order to evaluate consumer uses of first-aid recommendations on pesticide labels and the appropriateness of current label first-aid statements, callers to the University of California, Davis Regional Poison Control Center (RPCC) reporting pesticide exposures were questioned during the period from August 27 to September 30, 1987. Of 2,650 calls received by the RPCC during the study period, 160 (6.0%) of the calls related to pesticides. Eighty-nine (55.6%) of the callers in these cases participated in our label evaluation survey. Only 47 (53%) of the survey participants reported having a product container or label available at the time they called the RPCC. Of 15 participants identifying themselves as physicians or nurses inquiring about exposures to patients, only 1 (7%) reported having access to a product label, compared to 46 (63%) of 74 other callers, a difference in proportion which was highly significant (p less than 0.001). All calls received relating to pesticides were reviewed in order to identify product labels from the registration file at the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA). Of the 160 calls received, 133 contained information sufficient to allow for identification of the product involved and an understanding of the exposure event. Label first-aid information in these cases was appropriate to the circumstances of exposure in 63 (47%) of these cases, completely or partially incorrect in 20 (12%), and missing from the label in the remaining 50 (37%) of the cases. Inappropriate first-aid advice was limited to cases involving ingestion while missing first-aid advice was common for all routes of exposure.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

First Aid↗
PubMed1995

Psychological first-aid: a practical aide-memoire.

Despite advances made in recent years in medical first aid, psychiatric intervention, survival training and equipment design, many people still perish quickly during and immediately following a disastrous event. In this study, individuals and groups of survivors of life-threatening events were debriefed and the behavior of those who coped well during such a threat to life were compared with those who did not. The behaviors of those who coped well were distilled into a set of principles for psychological first aid; that is, a series of simple actions for use within a disaster which serves to recover victims to functional behavior as quickly as possible, thus increasing their chance for survival. These principles of psychological first aid have recently been introduced into basic first aid and survival training courses for both military and civilian units.

Adaptation, Psychological↗