Caregiver awareness and preparedness regarding pediatric foreign body aspiration and emergency response in Poland: a cross-sectional observational study

Foreign body aspiration (FBA) is a critical pediatric emergency that poses significant health risks, particularly in children under 7 years old. This cross-sectional observational study aimed to evaluate the knowledge of caregivers in Poland regarding FBA risks, symptom recognition, prevention strategies, and first aid measures. A total of 333 caregivers completed a 23-item questionnaire assessing socio-demographic characteristics and knowledge of FBA and choking management. Associations between demographic variables and knowledge scores were analyzed using multivariable negative-binomial regression. The mean accuracy across all knowledge questions was 80.48%, with the highest proportion of incorrect answers related to recognizing effective and ineffective cough and appropriate actions for infants with ineffective cough. Formal medical education and first aid training were the strongest predictors of higher knowledge scores, increasing the expected number of correct answers by 19-30% and 9-18%, respectively. General education level was not significantly associated with knowledge. Despite generally good overall knowledge, substantial deficits were observed in recognizing and managing time-sensitive choking scenarios. The results highlight the need for targeted, pediatric-specific first aid programs integrated into prenatal, educational, and community health systems to enhance caregivers' ability to promptly recognize and respond to choking emergencies in young children.