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Provision of post-crash first aid by traffic police in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: a cross-sectional survey
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2018 (English)In: BMC Emergency Medicine, ISSN 1471-227X, E-ISSN 1471-227X, Vol. 18, article id 45Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

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.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
BioMed Central, 2018. Vol. 18, article id 45
Keywords [en]
Traffic police, Post-crash care, Road traffic injury
National Category
Public Health, Global Health, Social Medicine and Epidemiology Nursing
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-154350DOI: 10.1186/s12873-018-0199-9ISI: 000451397600002PubMedID: 30458715Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-85056801945OAI: oai:DiVA.org:umu-154350DiVA, id: diva2:1271437
Available from: 2018-12-17 Created: 2018-12-17 Last updated: 2023-03-23Bibliographically approved
In thesis
1. Improving initial care of road traffic injured people in Tanzania: Evaluation of a traffic police first aid education programme
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Improving initial care of road traffic injured people in Tanzania: Evaluation of a traffic police first aid education programme
2020 (English)Doctoral thesis, comprehensive summary (Other academic)
Abstract [en]

Background: An overwhelming proportion of road traffic deaths and injuries in low- and middle-income countries occurs in prehospital environments. Lay responders such as traffic police officers play an important role in providing initial assistance to victims of road crashes, either alone or in collaboration with others. However, published and unpublished reports indicate that traffic police officers lack appropriate first aid education and therefore competencies to care for road crash victims.

Aim: The overall aim of this thesis was to evaluate the impact of a post-crash educational programme on traffic police officers’ first aid competencies and application at the workplace.

Methods: Four interrelated studies were conducted in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. In Study I, questionnaires (n = 340) assessing the current knowledge, attitudes, and practice regarding initial post-crash care among traffic police officers were analyzed using descriptive statistics. In Study II, individual interviews with leaders of traffic police unit and drivers’ associations (n = 12) exploring factors potentially influencing the implementation of a post-crash first aid (PFA) educational programme were analyzed using qualitative thematic analysis. In Study III, before–after questionnaires (n = 135) evaluating the impact of a PFA educational programme on knowledge, perceived skills confidence, and skills utilization among traffic police officers were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. In Study IV, focus group discussions with traffic police officers (n = 34) exploring factors influencing the use of first aid skills at the workplace were analyzed inductively using qualitative content analysis.

Results: Although nearly all traffic police officers believed that it was part of their responsibilities to provide first aid to crash victims, their knowledge and practice of critical first aid procedures such as airway management and victim positioning were generally very poor (Study I). Study II showed that, among other things, methods of delivering training and the availability of incentives among participants could affect implementation of a PFA educational programme. Study III showed that following implementation of a post-crash educational programme, the mean knowledge score for first aid increased from about 45% before training to about 73% six months after training (p < .001, n = 102). The mean perceived skills confidence scores for providing first aid (measured on a five-point Likert scale), when rounded, increased from low (i.e., two points) before training to high (i.e., four points) six months after training (p < .001, n = 102). However, of traffic police officers who witnessed a serious crash event (n = 92), fewer than half reported having used their trained first aid skills. Study IV showed that contextual issues related to physical, social, resource, and work situations influenced the opportunity of police officers to apply their trained first aid skills at the workplace.

Conclusion: A PFA educational programme has been shown to improve traffic police officers’ knowledge and perceived skills confidence regarding provision of first aid when adult learning principles are incorporated into the implementation of training. However, the increase in knowledge and perceived skills confidence did not translate into increased use of trained first aid skills in caring for crash victims. To enhance the use of skills, there is a need to improve the working conditions of traffic police officers, including equipping them with essential resources for the provision of post-crash care.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Umeå: Umeå University, 2020. p. 49
Series
Umeå University medical dissertations, ISSN 0346-6612 ; 2094
Keywords
Post-crash, injury, first aid, training, traffic police, lay responder, prehospital care, emergency care, knowledge, skills, transfer of learning, low-and middle income countries, Tanzania
National Category
Nursing Public Health, Global Health, Social Medicine and Epidemiology
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-175707 (URN)978-91-7855-385-3 (ISBN)978-91-7855-384-6 (ISBN)
Public defence
2020-11-04, Triple Helix, Universitetsledningshuset, Umeå, 09:00 (English)
Opponent
Supervisors
Funder
Sida - Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, 2266
Available from: 2020-10-14 Created: 2020-10-07 Last updated: 2020-10-09Bibliographically approved

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Padyab, MojganSaveman, Britt-IngerBackteman-Erlandsson, Susann

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