Evaluating first-aid knowledge and attitudes of a sample of Turkish primary school teachers

Introduction: Knowledge of first aid, which constitutes life-saving treatments for injuries or unexpected illnesses, is important for every individual at every age. First aid and basic life support are so important that teaching basic first aid should be compulsory in all schools. The goal of this study was to determine the knowledge and attitudes of a sample of Turkish teachers regarding the administration of first aid. Methods: Three hundred twelve teachers took part in this study to evaluate knowledge and attitudes of teachers in primary schools about first aid. Data were obtained using a questionnaire. It included 30 questions that help identify the teachers and determine their knowledge and attitudes about first aid. Data were analyzed by chi-square test. Results: In this study, it was determined that most of the teachers do not have correct knowledge and attitudes about first aid. For example, 65.1 % of teachers gave incorrect anwers regarding epistaxis, 63.5% for bee stings, and 88.5% for abrasion. It was found out that as the age of the teachers increases, appropriate first-aid practice becomes more and more unlikely. Discussion: The results of this study showed that teachers did not have enough knowledge about first aid.