Assessment of the level of knowledge of first aid and basic life support among the police workforce in a coastal area in southern India

Background: First aid and basic life support (BLS) are the basic principles that have significant importance in the revival of victims on site. Although the epidemiology of injuries has been well studied in many developed countries, there are a fewer number of such similar studies among the police workforce in developing countries, such as India. Objective: The objective was to assess the level of understanding about first aid and BLS measures among the police workforce in a coastal city of Southern India. Materials and Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at police stations and traffic police stations in a coastal city of South India with a sample size of 196. A pretested semi-structured questionnaire assessed a plethora of parameters, such as choking and seizures. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 16.0 (IBM SPSS Inc Chicago, SPSS Inc) and results were obtained. Consent from the study participants was obtained before commencement. Results: About 87.3% of the study participants who received training markedly scored <10, which is graded as a poor outcome, whereas 12.7% who have received training scored adequate. Among the untrained personnel, 86.4% scored <10, whereas the remaining 13.6% have adequately scored due to external or general knowledge without undertaking specific prior training. Conclusion: A majority of the police personnel who have received training should undergo frequent training to enhance their skills, which are currently below the baseline. Those who have not received training should also obtain proper training to improve their efficiency in emergency management.