Knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs regarding burn first aid among parents in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Background: Burns are extremely distressing and rank fourth on the list of leading causes of trauma worldwide, behind car accidents, falls, and acts of violence. This study aimed at assessing the knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs regarding burn first aid among parents in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among parents in the Tabuk region of Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire was designed on Google Drive Forms and distributed among the participants electronically as a link using WhatsApp. The questionnaire consisted of 17 questions, including demographic factors, knowledge, attitudes, and practices. Results: In this study, we collected data from 299 parents. Among the sample, 26.1% of the participants were aged between 31 and 40 years old, and 56.5% were females. Furthermore, 25.1% of the participants reported having received prior training to treat burns. Considering the use of traditional methods to treat burns before going to the doctor, including toothpaste, coffee, flour, or oil, 64.9% did not agree, while 30.1% agreed to use traditional methods. About 36.1% of the parents will go to the doctors before doing anything, while 34.1% will apply both medications and traditional methods, 19.4% will apply medications, and 10.4% will apply traditional methods to treat burns. In general, 74.2% of the participants had adequate knowledge and practice considering first aid for burns. The highest knowledge and practice were reported in participants who reported having information from training courses (96.9% and 93.8%, respectively). Conclusion: There were good knowledge, practice, and attitudes about how to deal with burns among the parents in Tabuk. Moreover, parents use many methods to deal with burns that afflict them and their children, mainly medications and going to the doctor.