First Aid Practices and Health-Seeking Behaviors of Caregivers for Unintentional Childhood Injuries in Ujjain, India: A Community-Based Cross-Sectional Study

Data on types of community first aid use and treatment provided post-injury from many low‒middle-income countries, including India, are lacking. This cross-sectional study was conducted among children aged one month to 18 years of age, in Ujjain, India, to understand types of first aid given and health-seeking post-injury. A total of 1087 injuries in 1049 children were identified in the past year. A total of 729 (67%) injured children received first aid and 758 (70%) sought some form of health care. Children with burns received the most (86%) first aid, and most children (84%) with road traffic accidents (RTA) sought health care. Most children (52%) sought health care from a private health care facility; most children (65%) were transported to a health care facility within the golden hour. Motorbikes were the most preferred (50%) mode of transport. Only 1% of the injured used ambulance services. Commonly reported methods or substances for first aid included the use of coconut oil on wounds from falls (38%) and burns (44%), the use of antiseptic cream on wounds from RTA (31%), the application of turmeric for wounds from falls (16%), and rubbing of metal on a bitten area (47%). For most injuries, appropriate, locally available substances were used. Potentially harmful substances applied included lime, toothpaste, clay, and mud. The findings will help design community interventions to increase the provision of appropriate first aid for childhood injuries.