A research on the determination of first aid knowledge levels and knowledge resources of tourist guiding students

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore both the first aid knowledge levels and the information sources used by students enrolled in tourism guidance department. In this study carried out on Balıkesir University Tourism Faculty Tourism Guidance Department students, 295 students were included by deliberate sampling method. A questionnaire form with 45 questions was prepared for data gathering. The students’ total first aid knowledge level was calculated out of 40 points, with 1 point awarded for each correct answer in a 40-question test. The first aid total score of the students is calculated on the basis of 40 points. 51.2% of the students evaluated their own first aid knowledge level as “low”. The mean of first aid knowledge total score of the students was 29.26±3.48 on the basis of 40 points. It was determined that the knowledge about first aid was obtained mostly via school (88.5%), internet (63.7%) and television (53.2%). Poisoning knowledge (p=0.02<0.05), burn knowledge (p=0.000<0.05), general first aid knowledge (p=0.000<0.05), fracture-dislocation knowledge P=0.000<0.05) and total knowledge scores (p=0.000<0.05) were statistically significantly different between the students at different classes. There were significant differences found between the students with different ages in terms of cardiac massage knowledge, artificial respiration knowledge (p=0.033<0.05) and fracture-dislocation knowledge (p=0.02<0.05). It was found that the majority of the students find themselves inadequate for first aid, but their first aid knowledge levels above the median. As class level increases, the first aid knowledge score decreases and the most important knowledge sources are school, internet and television.