Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Regarding First Aid for Road Traffic Accidents Among the Romanian Population

Abstract

Introduction Road traffic accidents represent a major public health issue worldwide, accounting for thousands of deaths every day. First aid is an essential, necessary, and mandatory intervention, comprising the immediate measures provided at the scene of the accident by a bystander, aimed at preventing further deterioration, assisting, and supporting the victims with minimal material and human resources until professional medical care becomes available. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding first aid in the context of road traffic accidents among the Romanian population. Materials and methods An online questionnaire was developed and distributed to citizens via social networks. The questionnaire items addressed general and specific first aid questions. Results A total of 400 individuals responded to the questionnaire. More than half of the respondents report not having attended first aid courses (53.3%), and their knowledge level is medium (34.5%) or low (22.3%). For Section I, participants who had attended a first aid course achieved significantly higher scores on some items (e.g., first aid initiator: p=0.003, airway obstruction: p <0.001). For Section II, no significant differences were observed between groups in relation to rescuer safety (p=0.837) or victim relocation (p=0.025 - marginal significance). Additionally, a positive correlation was observed between the respondents' self-assessment of their level of first aid knowledge and the final score on the evaluation items (p=0.019; r2=0.30). Discussions Respondents who attended a first aid course scored, on average, approximately 3 points higher than those who did not. Although this result is statistically significant, it suggests a moderate effect of the training and highlights the influence of additional factors such as individual motivation, prior experience, teaching quality, and engagement level on the final knowledge outcome. Airway management was relatively well addressed; however, nearly three-quarters did not consider the jaw thrust technique or the recovery position. This highlights the need for a structured training course rather than relying solely on school activities or online resources. There appears to be a significant link between income and access to specialized first aid training. The positive attitude towards the importance of first aid knowledge and application is consistent with findings from other studies, including those conducted among the general public and medical students in Saudi Arabia, as well as the general population in the United Arab Emirates. Regarding Europe, there is a very limited number of studies on the provision of first aid in road accidents. Conclusions The study concluded that the general population has a moderate, yet insufficient, level of medical training for providing first aid in road traffic accidents despite a strongly positive attitude towards its importance and necessity. Categories: