Knowledge of the Portuguese population on Basic Life Support and availability to attend training

Dixe, Maria dos Anjos Coelho Rodrigues; Gomes, José Carlos Rodrigues

doi:10.1590/S0080-623420150000400015

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Sumário

Original Article • Rev. esc. enferm. USP 49 (04) • Jul-Aug 2015 • https://doi.org/10.1590/S0080-623420150000400015 copy

Knowledge of the Portuguese population on Basic Life Support and availability to attend training

Conocimiento de la población portuguesa acerca del Soporte Básico de Vida y disponibilidad para realizar formación

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the level of knowledge and the availability of the Portuguese population to attend training in Basic Life Support (BLS) and identify factors related to their level of knowledge about BLS.

METHOD

Observational study including 1,700 people who responded to a questionnaire containing data on demography, profession, training, interest in training and knowledge about BLS.

RESULTS

Among 754 men and 943 women, only 17.8% (303) attended a course on BLS, but 95.6% expressed willingness to carry out the training. On average, they did not show good levels of knowledge on basic life support (correct answers in 25.9 ± 11.5 of the 64 indicators). Male, older respondents who had the training and those who performed BLS gave more correct answers, on average (p<0.01).

CONCLUSION

The skill levels of the Portuguese population are low, but people are available for training, hence it is important to develop training courses and practice to improve their knowledge.

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation; First Aid; Knowledge; Health Education

Variables		Nº	%
Gender (n = 1,697)	Male	754	44.4
Gender (n = 1,697)	Female	943	55.6
Marital status (n=1,690)	Married	1025	60.7
	Divorced	190	11.2
	Single	461	27.3
	Widowed	14	0.8
Educational level(n= 1,690)	Incomplete primary	13	0.8
	Complete primary	175	10.4
	6^th grade	112	6.6
	9^th grade	289	17.1
	12^th grade	572	33.8
	Higher education	529	31.3
Profession (1,644)	Members of the armed forces	6	0.4
	Senior management of public administration	20	1.2
	Specialist in intellectual and scientific professions	380	23.1
	Technicians and intermediate level professionals	214	13.0
	Administrative staff and alike	497	30.2
	Services and sales personel	171	10.4
	Agricultural and fishery skilled workers	18	1.1
	Factory workers, craft and related trades workers	69	4.2
	Plant and machine operators	40	2.4
	Unskilled worker	113	6.9
	Student, working student	83	5.0
	Retired	15	0.9
	Unemployed	15	0.9
	Military	3	0.2

Who should attend BLS training and where?	Yes			No
Who should attend BLS training and where?	Nº	%	Nº	%
Any citizen can help a victim in life-threatening situation	857	54.1	728	45.9
All citizens should have knowledge on BLS	1,320	81.4	301	18.6
Teachers should have knowledge on BLS	249	15.4	1,372	84.6
Firefighters should have knowledge on BLS	461	28.4	1,160	71.6
Health professionals should have knowledge on BLS	436	26.9	1,185	73.1
In addition to the aforementioned, others should have knowledge on BLS	79	4.9	1,542	95.1
The military should have knowledge on BLS	263	16.2	1,358	83.8
Police should have knowledge on BLS	297	18.4	1,317	81.6
BLS training should be done in the workplace	1,436	84.9	256	15.1
BLS training should be done in cultural and recreational associations, aimed at community groups	1,446	88.4	189	11.6
BLS training should be given by the National Institute of Medical Emergency	1,048	63.6	599	36.4
BLS training should be given by the Ministry of Health	823	50.0	824	50.0
BLS training should be given by the Portuguese Resuscitation Council	187	11.4	1,459	88.6
BLS training should be given by the Red Cross	814	49.4	834	50.6
BLS training should be given by the Firefighters	1,024	62.1	624	37.9
BLS training should be given by the Civil Protection	578	35.1	1,068	64.9
BLS training should be given by Schools	783	47.5	866	52.5

Variables		N	Average of correct answers	Standard deviation	t
Gender	Male	754	27.3	12.0	4.521
Gender	Female	943	24.8	11.0	4.521
Have you attended any BLS course	Yes	303	35.6	10.7	17.481
Have you attended any BLS course	No	1,398	23.8	10.6	17.481
Have you ever had to perform BLS	Yes	243	31.0	11.5	7.627
Have you ever had to perform BLS	No	1,425	25.0	11.3	7.627

Universidade de São Paulo, Escola de Enfermagem Av. Dr. Enéas de Carvalho Aguiar, 419 , 05403-000 São Paulo - SP/ Brasil, Tel./Fax: (55 11) 3061-7553, - São Paulo - SP - Brazil
E-mail: reeusp@usp.br

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[1] Corresponding author: Maria dos Anjos Coelho Rodrigues Dixe. Escola Superior de Saúde de Leiria, Campus 2, Morro do Lena, Alto do Vieiro, Apartado 4137, 2411-901 - Leiria - Portugal. maria.dixe@ipleiria.pt