Perceptions And Practices Regarding Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Among the Public Transport Drivers in Coastal South India

Abstract

Background:  Emergency Medical Services [EMS] has become an essential component of the health-care system. The help provided within an hour of traumatic injury; the ‘golden hour’ has enormous effect on the prognosis of the injured person. Public transport drivers, by virtue of their occupation are more likely to encounter emergencies like road traffic accidents. Basic knowledge on EMS is more relevant on this population.
Methods: In this cross-sectional study 116 public transport drivers were assessed about their perception and practices of EMS. The study was approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee and permission was taken from the Dean. Data were collected via an internally validated questionnaire covering sociodemographic details of the participants, and their perception and practices regarding EMS. The collected data were analysed using SPSS version 29.0. Chi-square test was employed for statistical analysis.
Results: All the 116 participants in our study were literates while two-thirds were urban residents. The mean age of the participants was 44.1 years, the majority (62%) of them were drivers with over 10 years of driving experience. Awareness of the toll-free emergency number (108) was high (83%), but awareness of the unified emergency number (112) was low (44%). All participants knew about involvement of paramedics in EMS, and 86% understood their dual role in treatment and transport. While 63.8% were aware of the Good Samaritan Law, 63% expressed willingness to help an injured person. A high proportion of the study subjects (82%) trusted the EMS, and 98% supported mandatory public first aid training.