title: Attitudes on first aid for paediatric burns: Pilot survey of a developed city state.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Burn-related injuries are prevalent worldwide. Caregiver first aid can mitigate the devastating effects of paediatric burn injuries. Our aim was to assess knowledge of paediatric burns first aid among caregivers and determine whether knowledge levels can be raised following a short educational intervention.
  
  
  METHODS
  Over a 13-week period we surveyed 274 caregivers at the children's emergency department of KK Women's and Children's Hospital. The questionnaire assessed caregiver demographics and knowledge of burn first aid pre-intervention. There was an educational interlude during which the moderator educated the caregiver using a simple pictorial guide. The survey resumed thereafter and the post-intervention questions were completed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 274 surveys conducted, 272 complete responses were obtained. We found a substantial and statistically significant increase in knowledge of caregivers immediately following the intervention. Two statistically significant predictors of adequate post-interventional scores were the caregivers' highest educational level and their total score in the pre-interventional assessment. Caregivers who scored well in the post-intervention questionnaire relied on school (p=0.013) and the Internet (p=0.130) as sources of information on burns first aid. Caregivers without prior personal experience with burns tended to fare better in the post-interventional survey.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study shows it is possible to correct knowledge gaps in the immediate period through a simple pictorial guide. Our study also identified a structure for a focused national educational campaign.
authors.affiliation: KK Womens and Childrens Hospital, Accident and Emergency Department, 100 Bukit Timah Road, Singapore 229899, Singapore.
authors.forename: Jade
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kua Phek Hui
authors.affiliation: Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School Singapore, Office of Clinical Science, #04-31, 8 College Road, Singapore 169857, Singapore.
authors.forename: John Carson
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Allen
authors.affiliation: KK Womens and Childrens Hospital, Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, 100 Bukit Timah Road, Singapore 229899, Singapore. Electronic address: mrjamesmok@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Wan Loong James
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Mok
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002056:Burns / Q000628:therapy*; D017028:Caregivers / Q000193:education*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005392:First Aid / Q000592:standards*; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010290:Parents / Q000193:education*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012846:Singapore; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Bystander first aid; Caregiver education; Paediatric burns; Prevention