title: Pediatric First Aid Practices in Ghana: A Population-Based Survey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Children in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) often receive care outside the formal medical sector. Improving pre-hospital first aid has proven to be highly cost-effective in lowering trauma mortality. Few studies in LMIC have examined home first aid practices for injured children.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a representative population-based survey of 200 caregivers of children under 18 years of age, representing 6520 households. Caregivers were interviewed about their first aid practices and care-seeking behaviors when a child sustained an injury at home. Injuries of interest included burns, lacerations, fractures and choking. Reported practices were characterized as recommended, low-risk, and potentially harmful.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For common injuries, 75-96% of caregivers reported employing a recommended practice (e.g., running cool water over a burn injury). However, for these same injuries, 13-61% of caregivers also identified potentially harmful management strategies (e.g., applying sand to a laceration). Choking had the highest proportion (96%) of recommended first aid practice: (e.g., hitting the child's back) and the lowest percent (13%) of potentially harmful practices (e.g., attempting manual removal). Fractures had the lowest percent (75%) of recommended practices (e.g., immediately bringing the child to a health facility). Burns had the highest percent (61%) of potentially harmful practices (e.g., applying kerosene).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  While most caregivers were aware of helpful first aid practices to administer for a child injury, many parents also described potentially harmful practices or delays in seeking medical attention. As parents are the de facto first responders to childhood injury, there are opportunities to strengthen pre-hospital care for children in LMICs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, School of Medical Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Private Mailbag, University Post Office, Kumasi, Ghana, drgyedu@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gyedu
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mock
authors.forename: Emmanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nakua
authors.forename: Easmon
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Otupiri
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Donkor
authors.forename: Beth E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Ebel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000628:therapy*; D017028:Caregivers; D002648:Child; D005392:First Aid; D005869:Ghana; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D010290:Parents; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000628:therapy*