Evaluation of a newly developed first aid training programme adapted for older people

BACKGROUND

Older people need to acquire knowledge and skills at first aid (FA) training tailored to them. Our research aimed to evaluate an FA training programme adapted for older people. We assumed that satisfaction with FA training, as well as knowledge of FA, would be higher among older people who received training according to an adapted programme compared to those who received training according to the existing programme for the general public.

METHODS

We trained older people according to the existing FA programme for the general public and according to a new FA training programme adapted for older people. The new training program is shorter and focuses on FA contents that are more relevant for older people. We evaluated participants with a general assessment questionnaire (consisting of items regarding satisfaction, comprehensibility, length, and physical difficulty), a test on theoretical FA knowledge, and a test on practical cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) knowledge. To ensure the homogeneity of the groups and to verify the impact on the results of the test of practical CPR knowledge, we also tested the participants regarding their psychophysical capabilities.

RESULTS

A total of 120 people completed the free FA training sessions. The general assessment questionnaire score of participants who were trained based on the new FA training program was 19.3 (out of 20), which was statistically significantly (p < 0.05) higher than that of those trained based on the old program (general assessment score of 17.1). Participants who were trained based on the new program scored an average of 8.6 points on the theoretical FA knowledge test, while those who were trained based on the old program scored an average of 7.1 points, which was statistically significantly (p < 0.05) lower. In both programs, the same average scores (7.5 out of 10 points) on the practical CPR knowledge test was achieved. However, participants who participated in the FA course adapted for the older people gained practical CPR knowledge in a shorter time. Older people with a greater psychophysical capacity were more successful in performing CPR, regardless of which FA training programme they received.

CONCLUSIONS

The effectiveness of FA training is greater if older people are trained in accordance with a targeted programme adapted to the psychophysical limitations of the older people.

The importance of elderly people knowing basic first-aid measures

Background

In the event of a sudden illness or injury, elderly individuals are often dependent on self-help and mutual assistance from partners. With poor access to medical services during natural and other disasters, the importance of first aid knowledge of elderly individuals increases even more. We assessed the opinions of different generations of Slovenian population regarding the importance of knowing the basic first aid measures. In addition, we aimed to examine the knowledge of first aid in the most common emergencies that threaten elderly people’s health and lives, focusing on the knowledge of elderly.

Methods

A structured questionnaire was conducted with a representative Slovenian adult population (n = 1079). Statistically significant differences in average ratings of the importance of first aid knowledge were compared among different age groups with one-way ANOVA followed by a post hoc test. Significant differences in percentages of correct answers in particular cases of health conditions between different age groups were determined using the χ ² test followed by post hoc tests.

Results

Slovenes are well aware of the importance of first aid knowledge and feel personally responsible for acquiring this knowledge. The general opinion is that older retirees need less first aid knowledge than individuals in younger populations. We found a high level of knowledge about symptoms and first aid measures for some of the most common health conditions that occur in old age. The level of knowledge in the group of the oldest respondents was comparable with that of younger age groups. However, their recognition of health conditions was also somewhat worse, especially when recognising the symptoms and signs of hypoglycaemia and heart attack. Most of the tested knowledge did not depend on a person’s age but on the time since that person was last educated in first aid.

Conclusions

The knowledge of people older than 80 years is somewhat poorer than that in the younger population, mainly because too much time has passed since they were last educated in first aid. Public awareness of first aid needs to be increased and appropriate guidelines should be given with a focus on the elderly population.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12873-022-00675-9.

The needs and opportunities of older laypeople to acquire first aid skills

We aimed to determine the needs and opportunities of older lay people to obtain first aid skills. We determined the level of theoretical knowledge of performing first aid with a structured questionnaire, performed on the sample of 842 adult inhabitants of Slovenia. The method of sampling was balanced by using a system of sampling weights in order to correct deviations in the structure of the sample to the level of the population structure. We also checked their attitude regarding the renewal of first aid knowledge. The level of self-assessment of first aid knowledge and actual theoretical knowledge of proper first aid measures typically decreased with age. The percentage of those who had attended first aid courses at any time was statistically significantly lower among respondents over the age of 60; 38% of elderly respondents thought they needed to renew their first aid knowledge, and 44% would attend a suitable first aid course. None of the 29 European Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies member states that responded have a developed a formally adopted first aid program to train the elderly. A tailored first aid training program for the elderly could be one of the many steps that should be taken to ensure adequate health care for the elderly population.

Tailoring First Aid Courses to Older Adults Participants

Relevant organizations emphasize the importance of first aid (FA) for older adults due to the increased risk of injuries and sudden illnesses in old age. Even though FA training guidelines have been developed, no program for an FA course adapted for the older adults has been formally adopted in Europe. This study’s objective is to identify older adults’ needs, beliefs, desires, advantages, and possible limitations in connection with FA. This qualitative study used semistructured interviews with 22 laypersons and retired health professionals older than 60 years old. The qualitative content analysis indicated that the major themes elicited by the older adults are motivation to participate in the FA training, older adults’ specific features as a resource or obstacle for participating in FA training, general suggestions, and content suggestions for FA training. Older adults are very differently motivated to participate in FA training due to the heterogeneity of their psychophysical abilities. They need and want to obtain additional knowledge from the field of FA and health protection for which any psychophysical limitations are not as relevant as when learning cardiopulmonary resuscitation. They want to learn how to recognize emergency situations and more about calling emergency services with the use of modern technology. In addition to cardiopulmonary resuscitation without rescue breaths, they also want to learn about topics related to the treatment of injuries. Those who had practiced FA in their work–life think that they can be a good source to transfer their knowledge to persons from their generation. While planning an FA training course, it has to be taken into consideration that older adults want a short course, adjusted to their varied psychophysical abilities. Due to the wide array of contents they want to learn, it would be reasonable to prepare a selection of different programs for short training courses.

Evaluation of Slovenian Occupational Therapists' Theoretical Knowledge and Stress Levels Connected With Providing Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

This was the first study that evaluated cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) knowledge in a sample of occupational therapists and investigated whether the knowledge of CPR parameters affected their perceived stress levels related to providing CPR. A questionnaire, consisting of 4 clusters of questions, was pretested and used in an online survey of Slovenian occupational therapists. The survey was sent to all electronic addresses obtained from the Association of Occupational Therapists of Slovenia and the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Ljubljana. It was completed by 201 occupational therapists, which represented about 40% of all Slovenian occupational therapists. Data were analyzed using independent-samples t-test, 1-way ANOVA, and Pearson's correlation coefficient. On average, the participants scored 5.44 points (SD = 2.96) on the CPR knowledge test that had a maximum of 9 points. A weak negative correlation existed between the perceived level of stress and scores on the knowledge test (r = -0.151; P = .05). Scores on the knowledge test were also negatively correlated with age (r = -0.409; P < .001) and work experience (r = -0.388; P < .001) and positively correlated with self-evaluation of knowledge of CPR (r = 0.366; P < .001). The majority of the participants (92.3%) felt that they needed to update their CPR knowledge. There was no statistically significant difference in the CPR knowledge between occupational therapists working in different clinical areas (P = .85). Our sample of occupational therapists was not optimally prepared to apply CPR. Older and more experienced therapists demonstrated less theoretical knowledge and were particularly vulnerable to stress. To improve knowledge and confidence, regular CPR training is recommended for this group of health professionals.

Knowledge of health principles among professionals in Slovenian kindergartens

Objectives

Preschool children have significant health issues. From the relevant legislation and regulations, it can be seen that kindergarten teachers (KTs) and kindergarten teacher assistants (KTAs) are expected to be familiarwith the basic hygienic measures and steps for preventing injuries and illnesses, to recognize infectious diseases, and to know how to give the first aid. To gain these skills, a continuous life-long learning is necessary, because the characteristics of diseases are changing. Study design: original research.

Methods

45 kindergartens in Slovenia were randomly selected and a questionnaire with 17 questions on health themes was sent. An analysis was performed via SPSS 17.0, using descriptive methods and nonparametric χ² tests.

Results

There were 774 participants, of whom 56% were KTs and 44% KTAs. The share of KTs and KTAs who consider their knowledge of health principles to be very good or excellent is 67%. Their estimation of first aid knowledge is lower. They are also well aware of the importance of health knowledge in their work; a total of 87% strongly agree with this. The results also show that they are familiar with hygiene principles. The χ² test showed there are certain statistically characteristic connections between the age of teachers and their assistants, occupation and work experiences.

Conclusions

Because children are a particularly vulnerable group, teachers can encounter injuries and sudden illnesses at their work. Supplementary education is necessary among skilled workers in educational institutions, including kindergartens.