First aid training in Brazilian public and private high-schools: Outcomes and perspectives

In 2019, external causes accounted for over ten percent of all reported incidents in Brazil, and 9% of global annual deaths are related to injuries, with 90% occurring in low- and middle-income countries. First aid training can significantly reduce hospitalizations and morbidity rates, making it an essential part of emergency response. This study aimed to implement a first responder program and evaluate its impact on high school students’ knowledge in Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brazil. The course included five hours of theoretical and practical instruction and was conducted in five public and two private schools. A pre- and posttest examination was designed to measure learning outcomes. The data were analyzed using R software, version 3.6.0, with p-values less than 0.05 considered statistically significant. Graphical analyses were performed using ggplot2, and the multicomp package was used to compare schools. In total, 773 students completed the pretest, and 765 met the posttest inclusion criteria. Public schools showed improved results across all areas, except for a question about bleeding. Both private schools showed significant improvements. The increase in correct answers between phases suggests the course effectively improved knowledge, although further focus on bleeding topics and long-term retention may be necessary.