Parental Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices on First Aid for Home Injuries in Children Under 5 in Palestine: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Abstract

Background: Unintentional home injuries are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among children younger than 5 years. Parents are the first responders to such emergencies; however, evidence on their first-aid knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) remains scarce in Palestine, where nation-wide injury surveillance data are limited.

Aims: To assess parents' KAP regarding first aid for home-related injuries among children younger than 5 years in the West Bank, Palestine, and to examine selected demographic characteristics as correlates of KAP scores.

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional design was used. Data were collected from April 12 to May 17, 2023, in three governmental pediatric hospitals in the West Bank using convenience sampling. A total of 119 parents were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire comprising 12 knowledge items, 14 attitude items (5-point Likert scale), and 11 practice items. Internal consistency was acceptable to excellent (knowledge α = .70; attitudes α = .83; practices α = .93). Descriptive statistics and bivariate analysis were performed using SPSS version 26 (p < .05). Absence of a priori sample-size calculation is acknowledged as a limitation.

Results: Most respondents were mothers (91.6%), aged 20-30 years (45.4%). Overall, 83.4% demonstrated good knowledge, most held favorable attitudes, and 76.1% reported safe practices. Falls were the most common emergency (48.7% reported a home emergency in the past three months), followed by burns and choking. Persistent misconceptions included inserting objects into a seizing child's mouth (49.6%), inducing vomiting after chemical poisoning (24.4%), and improper ear foreign-body removal (48.7%). Higher education and medical information sources were significantly associated with better KAP scores (p < .05).

Conclusions: Although parents demonstrated adequate first-aid KAP overall, important knowledge gaps and unsafe practices persisted. Nurse-led education targeting high-risk misconceptions, broader first-aid training access, and evidence-based guidance through official channels are recommended to reduce preventable childhood injuries in Palestine.