This study’s aim is to assess the disaster management and pediatric first aid-related knowledge, emotion, and attitude levels of of kindergarten and elementary school teachers, as the professionals that are first to provide interventions in the case of a disaster to children ages 0-8, who are considered to be among the vulnerable groups in the context of a disaster.

A total of 119 teachers working in the kindergarten and elementary schools located in the Gümüşhane province of Turkey were included in the study and were asked to fill in a questionnaire that comprises 3 sections. Data collection tools included a sociodemographic questionnaire, teachers’ disaster management knowledge levels, and teachers’ pediatric first-aid knowledge, emotion, and attitude levels.

Analysis of the scores obtained by the teachers from the questionnaire revealed that the teachers, who participated in the study, had a high level of disaster management knowledge and a moderate-to-high level of pediatric first aid knowledge.

It is suggested as a result of this study that the disaster risks and injuries or losses of life associated with disasters that may occur at schools may be reduced with disaster management and first-aid interventions.

Preschool-age children experience many home accidents, and school nurses play a role in preventing these accidents.

Accordingly, this study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of training preschool-age children through an imagined hide-and-seek game using a model home environment, in cases that may pose an accident risk. This pretest–posttest control-group study was conducted between March and June 2019. In total, 72 preschool students were included in the study. The study group’s education through the model home environment and game was assessed using the Determination of Home Environment Risks Form.

The post-education mean accident risk scores of the children in the study group increased in the kitchen (pre-education: 4.89 ± 3.258; post-education: 9.56 ± 3.549), children’s room (pre-education: 6.17 ± 3.776; post-education: 8.56 ± 3.722), and garden (pre-education: 4.39 ± 2.697; post-education: 6.72 ± 2.953). In the study group, the mean scores of children for recognizing the circumstances that pose a risk of accident in the home environment were determined to increase significantly (P < 0.001). The corresponding scores of the children in the control group did not change in the kitchen (pre-education: 3.89 ± 2.025; post-education: 3.44 ± 2.006), children’s room (pre-education: 3.72 ± 1.667; post-education: 3.50 ± 2.158), or garden (pre-education: 2.83 ± 1.813; post-education: 2.17 ± 2.049).

The new techniques, which will help children learn while having fun, should be integrated into preschool children’s education programs to reduce home accidents.

Most medical emergencies requiring first-aid occur at home. Little is known about the prevalence of these medical emergencies.

The objective of this study is to describe medical emergencies occurring at people’s homes requiring first aid; characteristics, burdens and impact on functional outcome, and to address the national public knowledge and practice of first aid.

A confidential, cross-sectional survey, primarily based on the 2015 American Heart Association (AHA) and American Red Cross first aid guidelines, was conducted among adults (>18 years) from 12 educational centers, under the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic affairs, State of Kuwait.

A total of 3000 self-administered questionnaires were distributed from September 16 2019 to November 30, 2019. The response rate was 34% (n = 1033 participants) of which 1% (n = 11) were partially answered questionnaires leaving 1022 questionnaires for valid statistical analysis. The prevalence of medical emergencies was 118.5 out of 100000 per year and the level of public knowledge was 19%. Medical emergencies were more likely to occur in Hawali province (49%, n = 149), women were more likely to encounter medical emergencies (78%, n = 238). Victims above 18 years of age were more likely to experience hypoglycemia (39%, n = 55) and children were more likely to suffer from hypoglycemia (19%, n = 22) or burns (17%, n = 20). Compliance with First aid guidelines was seen in hypoglycemia (31%, n = 44) but lacking in burn incidents (44%, n = 15). Participants called the ambulance in seizures (50%, n = 13), with 62% of medical emergencies requiring attendance at a health-care facility and 29% requiring hospital admission. Of the victims, 15% missed school or a day of work, and 25% had impaired functional outcomes.

Medical emergencies occurring at home are relatively common in Kuwait, and public training on first aid is low. Kuwait has unique medical emergencies, with hypoglycemia, seizures and burns being the most frequent emergencies that occur at home. These emergencies cause a burden on the health-care system with a quarter of them having negative impact on the victim’s functional outcome.

School-aged children are a risk group in terms of accidents and injuries, and these factors may be the primary causes of death in children. Teachers have important roles in preventing accidents and injuries and giving first aid. The purpose of this research was to identify situations in which teachers most frequently encounter the need to administer first aid to children and whether the teachers performed the correct application in these events.

This descriptive study was conducted with 331 teachers in a city in the Central Anatolia Region. The study was approved by the local ethics committee and the participants.

Of the 45.3% teachers educating children ages 6 to 15 years, 81.0% of the teachers were familiar with first aid, but only 23.0% claimed to have an adequate knowledge. In the previous year, situations that had required first aid included epistaxis (75.2%), abdominal pain (49.2%), and vomiting (39.2%). The study also investigated any accidents and injuries occurring, their causes, and the teachers’ interventions following the accidents and injuries. It was found that teachers had information about first aid, but they did not trust themselves enough to practice it.

Understanding the causes of accidents and injuries, finding preventive measures, and updating teachers’ knowledge about this subject are important to provide a safe educational environment. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2019;13:456-462)

Emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedics are at serious risk for work-related injuries (WRIs) during work hours. Both EMTs and paramedics have higher WRI rates, according to the literature data. This study was designed to investigate causes and characteristics of WRIs involving EMTs and paramedics staffed in Western Turkey.

All health care personnel staffed in Emergency Medical Services (EMS) in the city were interviewed face-to-face in their off-duty hours to inform them about the study. Excluded from the study were those who declined to participate in the study, those who were not on duty during the two-month study period, and those who had been working in the EMS for less than one year. The subjects were asked to answer multiple-choice questions.

A total of 163 personnel (117 EMTs and 46 paramedics) comprised the study sample. Eighty-three personnel (50.9%) were female and mean age was 29.7 years (SD=8.4 years). The most common mechanisms of WRI, as reported by the personnel, were motor vehicle accidents (MVAs; 31.9%), needlestick injuries (16.0%), ocular exposure to bodily fluids (15.4%), and sharp injuries (9.8%), respectively. Needlestick injuries commonly occurred during intravenous line procedures (59.4%) and inside the cruising ambulance (n=20; 62.5%). Working inside the cruising ambulance was the most commonly accused cause of the WRI (41.3%).

Paramedic personnel and EMTs are under high risk of WRI. Motor vehicle accidents and needlestick injuries were the most common causes of WRI. Strict measures need to be taken to restructure the interior design to protect personnel from all kinds of WRIs.

YilmazA, SerinkenM, DalO, YaylacıS, KarciogluO. Work-related Injuries Among Emergency Medical Technicians in Western Turkey. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2016;31(5):505–508.

To collate the opinions of experts and to reach consensus about the research priorities in the management of major incidents.

A three-round e-Delphi study was conducted using an international panel of experts drawn from active researchers and active educators in major incident management. General areas for consideration were derived from the literature analysis undertaken as part of the overall project.

Experts generated 221 statements in 11 topic areas in the first round. Fifty-one of these statements reached consensus in Round 2. A further 23 statements reached consensus in Round 3, leaving 147 statements that did not reach consensus.

An international expert panel reached consensus on 74 topics of research priority in major incidents management. The strongest themes within these topics were education and training, planning, and communication.

Mackway-Jones K, Carley S. An international expert Delphi study to determine research needs in major incident management. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2012;27(4):1-8.