The Real Experience of Elderly People in Rural Areas Who Witnessed Acute Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Events: a Qualitative Study

Background First aid in mountainous areas is the key and difficult point in the construction of the basic emergency rescue network in China. As the main resident population in mountainous areas, the elderly in mountainous rural areas have a high mortality and disability rate of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular emergencies and understanding the real experience of this group when witnessing acute cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases is an important supplement to the relevant research on mountain first aid literacy. Objective To analyze the real experience of elderly people in rural areas under the witness situation of acute cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events to deeply understand the first-aid literacy level of elderly people in rural areas and to provide practical reference for the management of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases in mountainous areas for grass-roots public health service personnel. Methods From January to February 2024, purpose sampling was used to select rural elderly people in Zunyi Mountain area of Guizhou Province as the research objects for face-to-face and semi-structured in-depth interviews. The directed content analysis method was used to analyze the data based on the knowledge-attitude-practice (KAP) theory. Results Three themes and eight sub-themes were summarized: (1) Personal first aid knowledge and skills: serious lack of first aid knowledge, weak ability of information screening, information support needs exist. (2) Beliefs and attitudes towards rescue in emergency situations: negative response to life first aid, lack of confidence in the role of rescue, more rescue concerns. (3) Specific behavior in emergent situations: poor response to illness, wrong rescue behavior. Conclusion The problems of low first aid literacy, poor treatment level, and insufficient rescue initiative among elderly people in mountainous rural areas who witness acute cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events have become prominent. Grassroots health service organizations should focus on improving the relevant work of this group's ability to treat acute cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.