Abstract:
Abstract
Introduction and background: Basic life support (BLS) refers to a package of care that first
responders, healthcare providers, and public safety professionals provide to anyone who is
experiencing a life-threatening condition to increase the victim’s chance of surviving. Rwanda’s
health sector performance report for 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 showed that 5.9% and 6.4% of
calls received by SAMU were managed on-site (1,2). This highlights the need for educational
interventions to equip the general public, especially groups of people operating in places where
life-threatening events are likely to happen such as taxi parks.
Aim: This study aims to find out the level of awareness regarding BLS among company bus drivers
operating in Kigali and their attitude regarding BLS interventions together with factor influencing
it.
Research design and approach: This study used a quantitative approach with cross-section
design. The study population was bus drivers who operated in chosen bus park station, and 327
was sample size determined. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire that was
adopted and slightly modified to meet the study objective and analyzed using SPSS 21 version.
Multinomial logistic regression analysis to find the factors that are more likely to influence drivers’
awareness and attitudes toward BLS.
Results: The most participant (99.4%) in this study was men, among those who participated in
this study most of them (48.0%) were aged between 36 to 50 years old. Regarding awareness level,
19.5% had adequate awareness. 29% of them had a positive attitude. Having basic life support
training, (AOR=7.853:95%CI: 1.326-10.413) and previous involvement in accidents
(AOR=4.321:95% CI 1.163-4.628) were significantly associated with basic life support awareness
of bus drivers who participated in this study.
Conclusion and recommendation: Even though most of the participants had some awareness
regarding basic life support provision yet their training level are still low and even their nature of
attitude regarding basic life support most of them 61% had negative attitude and none has basic
life support kit in their bus. There is a need to set the ongoing way of drivers training towards basic
life supports, and every bus permitted to work in transportation sectors should has basic life support
kit.
Keywords: Basic life support; awareness; attitudes and factor; and bus drivers
