Abstract

Background: Epistaxis is one of the most common otorhinolaryngology emergencies occurring in pediatric population due to school injuries and traumas, predisposing them to require basic yet important first-aid management. This study was done to assess the knowledge and awareness of teachers regarding the first-aid management and control of epistaxis inside schools. Methodology: Totally, 1,073 teachers were evaluated at different grades in schools of the Eastern region of Saudi Arabia. The age of teachers ranged from 20 to 55 years. The international guidelines for first-aid management of epistaxis were used to assess the teachers' awareness. Results: This study revealed that nearly one-third of the teachers had good awareness regarding epistaxis and its measures. However, the site and duration of nasal position awareness were poor among all teachers. Around 68.1% of the teachers had experienced at least one case of epistaxis in their schools. Nose pressure as a method to control of epistaxis was recorded by 76.5% teachers and 23% mentioned the lower part as the area for pressure, while 12.8% told about pressing for 6–10 minutes. Conclusion: One-third of teachers had good knowledge regarding epistaxis management, especially those who had previous information regarding epistaxis first aid. However, more attention should be paid to improve teachers' awareness regarding this area through health education sessions besides better training to apply epistaxis management.

Key words: Epistaxis, children, teachers, awareness, management.