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Background: The availability of prehospital trauma care is an important means of reducing serious injuries and fatalities associated with road traffic injuries (RTIs). Lay responders such as traffic police play an important role in the provision of prehospital trauma care to RTI victims, especially where there is no established prehospital care system. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to investigate knowledge, self-reported practice, and attitudes toward post-crash first aid among traffic police officers in Tanzania.

Method: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania between July-September 2017 to investigate knowledge, self-reported practice and attitude among traffic police officers during provision of post-crash care. We used simple random technique to recruit 340 traffic police officers, self -administered questionnaires were used to collect data. The researchers used descriptive statistics and Pearson's chi-square tests to analyze the data.

Results: A total of 340 traffic police officers were surveyed. Nearly two thirds (65.3%) reported having had post-crash first aid on-the job training; a slightly larger proportion (70.9%) reported that they had cared for RTI victims in the previous year. The survey responses showed that, generally, traffic police officers' level of knowledge about post-crash first aid to RTI victims was low-about 3% of the surveyed officers possessed knowledge at a level considered good. Also, there was a statistically significant correlation between higher educational attainment and greater knowledgeability (p = 0.015). Almost all of the officers (96%) had a positive attitude toward providing post-crash first aid to RTI victims.

Conclusions: Improved training of Tanzania traffic police officers, by means of an updated post-crash first aid curriculum and updated resources is recommended. Also, user-friendly post-crash first aid leaflets should be provided to traffic police for their reference.

BACKGROUND: In low and middle-income countries (LMICs), laypersons play a significant role in providing initial care to injured victims of traffic accidents. Post-crash first aid (PFA) training programmes for laypersons have become an important response to addressing knowledge and skills gaps in pre-hospital care. However, little is known about factors influencing effective implementation of such programmes from stakeholders' point of view. Therefore, this study aimed to explore views of stakeholders on potential factors that may facilitate or hinder successful implementation of a PFA training programme for lay persons.

METHODS: Twelve semi-structured qualitative interviews with leaders at a traffic police department and leaders of an association of city bus drivers, taxi drivers and motorcycle taxis in Tanzania were conducted. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. A thematic analysis approach was used to identify themes and sub-themes.

RESULTS: Three themes pertaining to implementation of a PFA training programme were identified: Motivation for engaging in training, Constrains for engaging in training and Training processes. They consisted of a total of six sub-themes: "perceived benefits of first aid training" and "availability of incentives" were considered as facilitators to PFA training. "Availability of time to attend training" and "accessibility of training" were reported as a potential barriers to successful training. Finally, they felt that "methods of training delivery" and "availability of first aid training materials and equipment" could either facilitate or impede delivery of PFA training.

CONCLUSION: This study highlights potential facilitators and barriers to implementing a PFA training programme for lay persons from the perspectives of leaders from police department and associations of city bus drivers, taxi drivers, and motorcycle taxis. This may be useful information for other stakeholders, and may enable government-level leaders and persons higher up in the health service hierarchy to take action to meet WHO recommendations for emergency pre-hospital care.

Background: An overwhelming proportion of road traffic deaths and injuries in low- and middle-income countries(LMICs) occur in prehospital environments. Lay first responders such as police officers play an important role inproviding initial assistance to victims of road traffic injuries either alone or in collaboration with others. The presentstudy evaluated a postcrash first aid (PFA) educational program developed for police officers in Tanzania.

Method: A 16-h PFA educational program was conducted in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, for 135 police officers. Participantscompleted training surveys before, immediately and 6months after the training (before, N = 135; immediately after, N=135;after 6 months, N=102). The primary outcome measures were PFA knowledge, perceived skills confidence, and skillsutilization. Parametric and nonparametric tests were used to analyse changes in outcome.

Results: The mean PFA knowledge score increased from 44.73% before training (SD = 20.70) to 72.92% 6months aftertraining (SD = 18.12), p < .001, N = 102. The mean PFA perceived skills confidence score (measured on a 1–5 Likert scale)increased from 1.96 before training (SD = 0.74) to 3.78 6months after training (SD=0.70), p < .001, N = 102. Followingtraining, application of the recovery position skill (n = 42, 46%) and application of the bleeding control skill (n = 45, 49%) werereported by nearly half of the responding officers. Less than a quarter of officers reported applying head and neckimmobilization skills (n = 20, 22%) following training.

Conclusion: A PFA educational program has shown to improve police officers’ knowledge and perceived skills confidenceon provision of first aid. However qualitative research need to be conducted to shed more light regarding reasons for lowutilization of trained first aid skills during follow-up.

Background: The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends involving lay people in prehospital care. Several training programmes have been implemented to build lay responder first aid skills. Findings show that most programmes significantly improved participants' first aid skills. However, there is a gap in knowledge of what factors influence the use of these skills in real situations. The current study aimed to describe police officers' views on and experiences of factors that facilitate or hinder their use of trained first aid skills at work.

Methods: Thirty-four police officers participated in five focus group discussions. A structured interview guide was used to collect data. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis.

Results: We identified five categories of facilitators or hindrances. Training exposure was considered a facilitator; work situation and hospital atmosphere were considered hindrances; and the physical and social environments and the resources available for providing first aid could be either facilitators or hindrances.

Conclusion: Practical exposure during training is perceived to improve police officers' confidence in applying their first aid skills at work. However, contextual factors related to the working environment need to be addressed to promote this transfer of skills.