KNOWLEDGE ABOUT FIRST AID MANAGEMENT OF EPISTAXIS AMONG PATIENTS VISITING OTOLARYNGOLOGY OUTPATIENT OF TERTIARY CARE CENTER

Abstract

Objective: To determine the level of knowledge about first aid management of epistaxis among patients visiting outpatient department of ENT at tertiary care center of eastern Nepal and to explore the relationship between knowledge and different socio-demographic variables.
Method: A descriptive, hospital based cross-sectional study was conducted on 384 respondents aged 16 years or above visiting ENT OPD, BPKIHS using consecutive non-probability sampling. Pre-testing of the questionnaire was done in Chitwan medical college, Bharatpur, Nepal. The respondents were interviewed with semi structured interview schedule consisting of 6 questions related to first aid management of epistaxis. Each correct answer was allotted one point, and the total summation of the discrete scores of the different items was calculated. A score of less than 4 was considered poor knowledge, while a score of 5 or more was considered good knowledge.
Result: Most of the respondents (88%) had poor overall knowledge. Less than half people knew about correct body posture and only a third knew that nose should be pinched. Only 13.5% people knew correct head position. 15% respondents with secondary or higher education and about 30% of people engaged in medical education/profession had good knowledge. The level of knowledge was found to significantly associated with level of education (p=0.047) and medical profession/education (p=0.00). It was not associated with age, sex and previous exposure to epistaxis.
Conclusion: The knowledge about first aid management of epistaxis in general population is poor it is not adequate even in the people engaged in medical education or profession.
Keywords: Epistaxis, First aid, Knowledge.