Assessment of basic First aid knowledge levels among parents of children presenting to the emergency Department: The case of Hatay Mustafa Kemal University Hospital

This study was conducted to evaluate the level of first aid knowledge among parents of children presenting to the Emergency Department of Hatay Mustafa Kemal University Hospital and to examine the relationship between knowledge level and sociodemographic characteristics. This descriptive-cross-sectional study was conducted between 1 May 2025 and 1 August 2025. The survey instrument was a questionnaire based on the First Aid Training Manual of the Ministry of Health (2024), consisting of 7 questions related to sociodemographic data and 24 multiple-choice questions assessing the respondents' level of knowledge in the field of first aid (12 topic areas; 2 questions per area). Correct answers were scored as 1 point, incorrect answers as 0 points (0-24). Non-parametric tests and generalised linear models (GLM) were used in statistical analyses. Three hundred parents participated in the study (mean age 37.29±8.93 years; 58.0% female). The average knowledge score was 12.05±4.27. Knowledge scores decreased as the number of children in the family increased; knowledge scores increased with the increase in income and education level. Knowledge scores were higher among working mothers and those who had previously received first aid training. No significant changes in knowledge scores were found according to age and gender. Parents' basic first aid knowledge level was moderate, with significant knowledge gaps and misconceptions in some critical areas. The findings indicate a need for targeted, practical, and sustainable first aid training, particularly in low socioeconomic groups and families with multiple children.