Effect of the Community Education Program on the Attitude on the Emergency Medical Service and Safety in a Rural Emergency Medical Service System

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Compared to urban areas, access to emergency medical services in rural areas is relatively restricted both in quality and quantity. However, based on the aged population model, the need for such services is greater in rural areas, due to accidents and underlying disease. We set out to investigate whether education for emergency medical services would be helpful for utilization of poor resources for emergency medical services in rural areas and how efficient it might be. METHODS: Goheung (n=796) and Haenam (n=819), which appeared to be similar in terms of area, population composition, and quality and quantity of emergency medical services, were selected. While one area received Life Helper for the Village, one of the educational programs for emergency medical services, the other did not. A questionnaire containing items on recognition of emergency medical services and roles of the primary responder was administered. RESULTS: Significant differences were observed in the recognition of emergency medical services and safety awareness in Goheung, to which education for emergency medical services was provided. However, we did not find a relationship between injury or accident development and education for the rural emergency medical service system in two areas. CONCLUSION: Thus, provision of education is needed for development of common residents into primary responders in alienated rural and fishing villages, offering them ongoing and repeating education in order to increase their recognition of emergency medical services and safety awareness, and expand such education to areas that are in a similar situation.