Evaluating the Effectiveness of a First Aid Training Programme for Individuals Without a Background in Medical Education

OBJECTIVE: People without a medical education background who have the skills and knowledge to provide emergency care can be useful in emergencies, disasters, earthquakes, and pandemics to save or support the life of an injured person until hospitalization or the arrival of an emergency medical team. The purpose of the study is to assess the knowledge and skills of first aid in individuals without a medical education background within a year after training. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study sample included 643 people without a medical education background. The study participants attended basic first aid training, the sessions that lasted for 18 hours. Participants answered a 10-question skills test before and after completing the course, as well as 6 months and 1 year after training. SPSS version 20.0 (IBM Ireland Product Distribution Limited, Ireland) was used for the statistical assessment of data, employing Cochran’s Q test. Pairwise comparisons were made between different periods using the Wilcoxon test with Bonferroni correction. RESULTS: The mean age of the participants was 36 for males, and 42 for females. In the sample, males accounted for 70% (n = 441) and females for 30% (n = 202). The first aid training provided to persons without a medical education background significantly increased their level of knowledge. After 6 and 12 months, their knowledge and abilities remained significantly higher than before the training. However, these results were lower than they had been immediately after training. CONCLUSION: The study demonstrated that first aid training significantly increased the knowledge level of non-medical individuals immediately after training and remained elevated after 6 and 12 months. However, there was a decline in the level of knowledge and skills over time, indicating the need for refresher training.