Assessment of First-Aid Knowledge Among Medical Students in Syria: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Abstract Background: Sufficient knowledge required to deal with emergencies at the accident site may not be found in most medical students due to the lack of effective first-aid training in most medical education curricula. This study aims to assess and evaluate the level of knowledge among medical students in providing first-aid care, especially first-year students.Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted in May 2020 among 1,855 medical students. The data was collected using an electronic questionnaire that was published on social media platforms. Based on the scores obtained for each clinical scenario requiring first aid, general knowledge was classified as good, intermediate, or weak. in order to obtain the best result, a number of measures were taken.Results: Statistical analysis indicated that Academic year and Academic specialization have a significant effect on the level of knowledge, whereas demographic background (gender, university, marital status, housing status, work status, financial condition), reading, hearing, or receiving training in first-aid have no effect on it.Conclusion: The level of knowledge among Syrian medical students in providing first-aid care is somewhat limited. Therefore, first-aid courses should be made more accessible to these students, and their effectiveness should be ensured and maintained through frequent updates. Moreover, more attention should be placed on publicizing first-aid knowledge in a way that makes life-saving procedures attainable to anyone, anytime and anywhere.