KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND PRACTICE OF FIRST AID MEASURES IN SELAM HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

ABSTRACT Background: First aid as the name suggests, is the very first assistance or treatment given to an injured before the arrival of the qualified health personnel. Almost, 35% of deaths occur within 5 minutes of an accident while another 54% would die within 30 minutes. However, by giving first aid at the site of the injury deaths can be decreased in 20%. There is lack of a research on knowledge attitude and practice of first aid in high school students in Ethiopia. Objective: the aim of the study was to assess knowledge, attitude and practice of first aid measures in selam high school. Methods: A descriptive cross sectional study was conducted on March 23, among 244 selam high school students. Self-administered questionnaire, after simple random sampling, was used for data collection. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 20 Result: Among the participants 6 (2.6%) have adequate knowledge on first aid while 103 (44.3%) have average knowledge on first aid. Most of the participants 124 (53.2%) have poor knowledge on first aid. Only few of the participants have practiced first aid Out of 233 respondents 135(57.9%) have witnessed an accident in which a person needed first aid, out of those 135 respondents only 33 (14.2%) had given first aid. Most of the participants have positive attitude towards first aid, out of 233 participants, 184(79%) strongly agrees it’s crucial to learn first aid for a day to day life while 134 (57.5%) of 231 respondents strongly agrees that first aid lesson is essential in high school. Conclusion: In conclsion there is significant lack of knowledge on first aid eventhough there are some aspectes of first aid they have good knowledge. The participants attitude towards first aid is positive Key Words: knowledge, attitude, practice and first aid.