Parents and first aid: I know what to do — but I'm not very confident

Abstract

A questionnaire survey, with first-aid scenarios on scalds, lacerations, choking and bleach ingestion, was carried out with parents of children aged 3-12 months regis tered at 36 general practices in Nottingham. The objective was to assess parents' knowledge and confidence with regard to first aid for their infants and to examine factors associated with uptake of first-aid training sessions in a community setting. More than 75 per cent of parents knew the correct first aid for scalds, lacerations and choking. Less than half knew the correct action for bleach ingestion. Parents from ethnic-minority groups (p<0.001 ) and those without access to a car (p<0.001 ) had lower knowledge scores. Less than 25 per cent were very confident in dealing with any of the first-aid scenarios. Parents were least confident in dealing with bleach ingestion. Parents from an ethnic-minority group were more confident (p=0.003), and young mothers less confident (p=0.002) in dealing with first aid. Those speci fying incorrect actions were significantly less confident in their action for bums (p<0.001 ), choking (p=0.027), and lacerations (p<0.001 ). Only 13 per cent of parents who were offered first-aid training, attended. Parents attending such training were more confident (p<0.001) and less likely to live in rented accommodation (p=0.003). Improving confidence in undertaking first aid is important and should be addressed in first-aid training and in other settings where first-aid advice is given. Group first- aid training sessions may not reach those parents most in need of training. Other methods of delivery of first-aid information need to be evaluated.