Patterns and determinants of potentially harmful first aid practices in children with acute poisoning

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To assess the patterns and determinants of harmful first aid practices in children with acute poisoning, and identify factors influencing caregivers' pre-hospital management. RESULTS: This study included 384 children under 12 years, with 29.4% receiving harmful first aid measures. The most common poisoning agents were household chemicals (31.5%), followed by medicines (29.2%). First aid was provided to 29.4% of children, with water and coconut milk being the most common remedies. Harmful first aid was more likely in household chemical poisoning (p = 0.046). Univariate analysis revealed associations between harmful practices and factors such as low maternal education (p = 0.002), remote healthcare access (p = 0.0001), and cultural beliefs (p = 0.003). Multivariate analysis identified remote healthcare access (p = 0.001), low socio-economic status (p = 0.001), low maternal education (p = 0.03), and cultural beliefs (p = 0.05) as significant determinants. Qualitative findings revealed knowledge gaps, financial constraints, and cultural beliefs influencing first aid decisions, highlighting the need for targeted interventions.