Training and certification in first responder care among mountaineering practitioners in east Africa

INTRODUCTION: Mountaineering activities have potential risks for injuries and illnesses. Extreme weather conditions, high altitude, limited resources and accessibility to transport and definitive medical services calls for mountaineering practitioners to be well prepared through training and certification in first responder care. This is useful in cases when they have an injured climber and need to offer support in the tier-one emergency system care before accessing further care in a medical facility. The study sought to establish the first responder care training status of mountaineering practitioners and the associations of mountaineering practitioners’ first responder care training levels and gender, age, years of work experience, and designation. METHODS: The study used cross-sectional analytical research design with a purposive sample of one hundred and thirty six (136) mountaineering practitioners in East Africa. Snowball sampling procedure was used to identify the respondents since there were no records indicating the population size or specific location of these mountaineering practitioners. A self-administrated questionnaire was used to collect data on whether they were trained or not; status of their up-to-date certification; institutions where they did their training and recertification; and their training levels in first responder care, which would cover the aim of the study. RESULTS: Majority of mountaineering practitioners (91.2%) had received some form of training. However, 47.1% had received training in basic first aid, which did not involve mountain related components. Outdoor practitioners’ up-to-date training was dependent on their age (p = 0.005), and years of work experience (p= 0.014). DISCUSSION: There is need for mountaineering practitioners to have standardized minimum training in wilderness specific first responder care. The study recommends that the training and recertification should be undertaken on a regular basis by the mountaineering practitioners in East Africa.