A study to assess the effectiveness of training on first aid among students of industrial training institute in tribal area of Thane district, Maharashtra

ABSTRACT

Background: Sudden illness, injury or animal bites can often be serious unless proper care is administered promptly. First aid is immediate attention to one suffering from illness or injury. Everyone should be able to give effective assistance until an injured person can receive professional medical care. This study was undertaken with objectives of assessing the baseline knowledge among students of industrial training institute (ITI) about common health emergencies, their appropriate first aid measures and to conduct training on first aid through lecture and demonstration as well as to assess effectiveness of training on their knowledge about first aid.Methods: An Interventional study. Baseline and post-test assessment of knowledge scores was carried out after a week and 16 weeks of training sessions on first aid of all students in the institute. Data analyzed by SPSS software using descriptive statistics and appropriate statistical tests of significance.Results: Baseline knowledge about first aid in injuries and bites was higher among students than their knowledge about burns and other emergencies. Rural students and students of scheduled caste and tribe had low baseline knowledge (p=0.015 and p=0.025 respectively). Training on first aid significantly improved knowledge about all health emergencies among all students as evident from post-test scores at first week and 16 weeks (p<0.05). Gain in knowledge was significantly higher among rural students.Conclusions: Students had low baseline knowledge about first aid measures. Sessions combining knowledge and skills have brought about significant improvement in the knowledge of participants irrespective of their age, caste or urban-rural background.