Belachew Tekleyohannes Wogayehu* and Tadesse Sisay
Background: Due to a foreign substance blocking the throat or airway, choking induces tissue damage and cell death within 4-6 minutes especially in children under the age of 4. Few studies have been conducted in Ethiopia on assessing kindergarten teacher’s knowledge, attitude and practice about first aid management of choking which is paramount.
Objective: To assess knowledge, attitude and practice towards first aid management of choking and associated factors among governmental and non-governmental kindergarten teachers in Debre Birhan city, North Shoa, Ethiopia, 2023.
Methods: An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Debre Birhan city, North Shoa, Ethiopia from April to May, 2023. A total of 352 kindergarten teachers was selected in Debre Birhan city for the study. Study participants were selected by stratification of schools in to governmental and non-governmental followed by simple random sampling technique. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire adapted from different sources. Collected data was entered into Epi Data version 4.6 and analyzed by using STATA version 14. Multivariable binary logistic regression model was employed to identify associated factors of knowledge, attitude and practice of kindergarten teachers.
Results: A total of 341 kindergarten teachers were involved in the study with a response rate of 96.8%. About 55.7% (95% CI: 50.42-61.02) and 61% (95% CI: 54.76-65.3) of kindergarten teachers had adequate knowledge and positive attitude towards first aid management of choking. Only 46.9% (95% CI: 40.7-51.4) of kindergarten teachers had good practice on first aid management of choking. Long work experience (AOR=6.9, 95% CI: 2.48-18.9), private school (AOR=2.53, 95% CI: 1.54-4.15) and first aid training (AOR=4.41, 95% CI: 2.3-8.45) were determinant factors of knowledge. Private school (AOR=0.58, 95% CI: 0.36-0.95) and good practice (AOR=1.8, 95% CI: 1.12-2.95) were determinant factors of attitude. Long work experience (AOR=3.3, 95%CI: 1.58-6.7), private school (AOR=1.7, 95% CI: 1.12-2.86) and positive attitude (AOR=2.06, 95% CI: 1.3-3.3) were determinant factors of practice of kindergarten teachers.
Conclusions and recommendation: Knowledge and attitude of kindergarten teachers towards first aid management of choking is high with low practice. Long work experience, private school, first aid training, positive attitude and
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