Consciousness and abilities on health emergency and the roles of emergency response among public at the communities / 中华流行病学杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the consciousness of health emergency and the abilities on self- and mutual medical aids among the public at the community level, as well as the community responses on health-related emergencies and other factors.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Random equidistant sampling method was used to extract 617 households before choosing a family member sampled by Kish Grid method. All the members were investigated face to face on a questionnaire-"Health emergency and related ability regarding self and mutual medical aids of the residents". Data were entered into computer database by using software Epi Data 3.1 and were analyzed by SPSS 21.0.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Among the 617 households under survey, 47.84% of the public had general awareness on health-related emergencies. Regarding the following items asprevention and isolation strategies of infectious disease, on safely procedures of earthquake and fires, on prevention of food poisoning, on prevention and first aid of emerging infectious diseases etc., the rates of awareness were 65.04%, 62.92%, 43.62% and 18.79% respectively. Proportions of households which had the first aid supplies werefirst aid medicine box as 56.08%; fire extinguisher as 43.60%; spare water and food as 39.40%; having facilities as ropes, whistles and smoke masks for escape were all less than 15%. Rates of awareness on the following items as correct use of gas switch as 81.52%, knowing the location of the circuit with gear and the fire hydrant as 74.39% and 35.98% , respectively. The correct disposal rates of the residents on the following items wereelectric shock and falls (89.63%), patients of infectious diseases (83.31%), gas poisoning (82.98%), suspected symptoms on infectious diseases(82.66%), explosion and burns (66.78%), scald (62.72%)and sprain (57.05%). Scores on the related abilities were as follows emergency(7.65, out of 10 points), escape(3.55, out of 5 points), self- and mutual medical aids (10.71, out of 16 points). Proportions of having learned and applied of first aid techniques among residents on the following items wereartificial breathing, chest compressions and cardiopulmonary resuscitation were all less than 10%. Level of knowing the first aid techniques was correlated with age and culture of the residents (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Both consciousness on health emergency and the abilities on self- and mutual medical aids were low among the community public, suggesting that both the government and pubic should pay more attention to the role of the abilities on self- and mutual medical aids.</p>