• Sanjay Kumar Mishra, Shafaq Mahmood, and Muhammad Ashfaq Baig.
• Department of Surgery, Saraswathi Institute of Medical Sciences, Hapur, India.
• Eur J Trauma Emerg Surg. 2019 Dec 1; 45 (6): 1121-1128.

ObjectiveTo assess the general knowledge and practices related to burn first aid treatment (BFAT) and to examine age, gender, socioeconomic status, education and previous history of exposure to burn (self/family member) as factors influencing burn first aid knowledge among the general population of Rawalpindi.Study DesignA cross-sectional, descriptive survey.Place And Duration Of StudyThree major tertiary care hospitals of Rawalpindi, from August 2017 to May 2018.MethodologyAll consenting people ≥ 18 years of age, with or without a prior history of burn, accompanying patients to three major tertiary care centers of Rawalpindi were administered a pre-tested structured questionnaire. The questionnaire was divided into two sections; socio-demographic section and knowledge on BFAT. Those who were illiterate and could not fill the questionnaire were interviewed and their responses were marked by the researchers themselves. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 21.ResultsA total of 400 participants comprising 205 (51.3%) males and 195 (48.8%) females with a mean age of 38 ± 10.3 years were included. The majority (58%) were educated up to 12th grade or higher. "Toothpaste" (47.5%) followed by "cool running water" (20.3%) were the two most frequently applied items following a burn injury. Only 8.8% respondents applied cold water for the ideal time duration. Overall, 83% of the participants provided correct answers for 25-50% of the survey questions. Socioeconomic and educational status of the participants had a significant association with burn first aid knowledge.ConclusionA significant limitation of knowledge regarding BFAT was seen among the general population of Rawalpindi.

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