Knowledge and attitude regarding cardiopulmonary resuscitation among secondary school students in Al Ahsa, Saudi Arabia: a pilot study

Background and objectives. Second-hand smoke (SHS) is an important public health problem worldwide. The study aimed to estimate the prevalence of SHS exposure and its associated risk factors among intermediate and secondary school students.Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2013 among 3400 students from 34 intermediate and secondary schools in Madinah City, Saudi Arabia. Data about sociodemographic and smoking-related factors and SHS exposure were collected using a self-administered questionnaire.Results. Of the 3210 students analyzed, the prevalence of SHS exposure was 32.7% 49.3%, and 25% inside, outside, and both inside and outside the home, respectively. The highest risk of SHS exposure was associated with the adolescent’s smoking status, parental smoking, close friends smoking, and family structure. The risk was markedly increased in association with parental smoking for exposure inside the home (OR = 6.49; 95% CI = 5.44–7.73) and with close friends smoking for exposure outside the home (OR = 4.16; 95% CI = 3.54–4.77). The risk of SHS, however, was lower among adolescents having knowledge about smoking and highly educated parents.Conclusion. The study revealed a considerably high prevalence of SHS both inside and outside the home among adolescents. Knowledge and beliefs about SHS exposure are the main preventable approach.

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Brief compression-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation and automated external defibrillator course for secondary school students: a multischool feasibility study

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2020-040469 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (10) ◽

pp. e040469

Author(s):

Kit Ying So ◽

Hiu Fai Ko ◽

Cindy Sin Yui Tsui ◽

Chi Yeung Yeung ◽

Yee Ching Chu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation ◽

Secondary School ◽

Secondary Schools ◽

Feasibility Study ◽

Secondary School Students ◽

Life Support ◽

Attitude Score ◽

Automated External Defibrillator ◽

School Students ◽

External Defibrillator

ObjectivesThis study assessed the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a 2-hour compression-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation and automated external defibrillator (CO-CPRAED) course in secondary school students.DesignProspective pre-post feasibility study.Setting and participants128 students (12–15 years old) without prior basic life support (BLS) training at four secondary schools in Hong Kong. All students were followed up at 3 months after training.InterventionsEmergency medicine-trained nurse and physicians taught the 2-hour CO-CPRAED course using the American Heart Association ‘CPR in School Training Kit’ programme. Students were trained in groups up to 40 students/session, with an instructor to student ratio not exceeding 1:10. To practise hands-on compressions, the manikin to student ratio was 1:1. For a simulated cardiac arrest, the manikin and AED to student ratio was 1:10.Primary and secondary outcomesCPR and AED knowledge, attitude statements towards bystander CPR and AED, quality of BLS performance skills during training and at 3 months.ResultsSome students (46%) knew how deep to push on an adult chest when doing CO-CPR before training. The course was associated with an increase in knowledge score (pretraining 55%, post-training 93%; adjusted mean difference (MD) 38%, 95% CI 33% to 43%; p<0.001). Most students (68%) thought that CPR education in senior secondary school was essential before training. The students had a very positive attitude towards CPR; no change in the mean (SD) attitude score out of 30 over time (pretraining 27.2 (2.5), post-training 27.6 (2.7); adjusted MD 0.5, 95% CI −0.1 to 1.0; p=0.132). Most students were competent in performing BLS immediately after training (77%) and at 3 months (83%) (adjusted MD 6%, 95% CI −4% to 15%; p=0.268).ConclusionsThe results demonstrate the feasibility of scaling up the number of secondary schools trained in a brief CO-CPRAED course within the local school curriculum.

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