The Impact of First Aid Blended Learning Training on Learning Outcomes and Helping Behaviour of Adult Laypeople in Rwanda

The Impact of First Aid Training, Delivered Via a Face-to-face or Blended Learning Approach, on Learning Outcomes and Helping Behaviour of Adult Laypeople in Rwanda: a Randomised Controlled Trial

The goal of this study is to assess the impact of a first aid training delivered through a blended learning approach on learning outcomes and helping behaviour in adult laypeople in Rwanda.

Participants will be randomly assigned to either:

• a first aid training with blended learning approach;
• a first aid training with conventional face-to-face approach;
• no first aid training.

All participants will be asked before, immediately after, and 6 months after the first aid trainings to complete

• a questionnaire on first aid-related knowledge, self-efficacy, and willingness to help;
• a practical test on first aid-related skills.

The helping behaviour of the participants will be surveyed before and 6 months after the first aid trainings have been completed.

Researchers will compare the effects in learning outcomes and helping behaviour after 6 months between:

• the first aid training with blended learning approach and no first aid training;
• the first aid training with blended learning approach and first aid training with conventional face-to-face approach.

Study Overview

• Status: Active, not recruiting
• Conditions: Emergencies; Injuries; Illness Physical
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: First aid training with blended learning approach; Other: First aid training with face-to-face approach

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 540
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Rwanda
  • Kigali, Rwanda
    • Rwanda Red Cross

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Adult (≥ 18 years) laypeople
• Access to a smartphone or tablet, which is able to install and run a mobile application

Exclusion Criteria:

• Having attended a first aid training in the past
• Having an academic or professional background in the (para)medical field

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Other
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Double

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: First aid training with blended learning approach; Participants follow a first aid training delivered through a blended learning approach.	Other: First aid training with blended learning approach; The content of the first aid blended learning training is standardised and based on the 2021 edition of the Basic First Aid in Africa manual from the Belgian Red Cross, covering first aid general principles and instructions for: emergencies (i.e. choking, unconsciousness with and without normal breathing, chest discomfort and stroke, poisoning, and severe external bleeding);; injuries (i.e. skin wounds, burns, and injuries to muscles, joints, limbs, head, neck, and back);; illnesses (i.e. fainting, fever, fits, and diarrhoea). The training consists of 2 consecutive parts: First aid theory is learned independently in a mobile application followed by an online test to ob-tain an admission ticket for the subsequent in-class training;; First aid skills are practiced during a 1-day in-class training facilitated by a certified first aid instructor of the Rwanda Red Cross. Participants get at least 10 days to learn in the mobile application and obtain the admission ticket.; Other Names: First Aid Blended Learning (FABL)
Active Comparator: First aid training with face-to-face approach; Participants follow a first aid training delivered through a conventional face-to-face approach.	Other: First aid training with face-to-face approach; The content of the first aid face-to-face training is standardised and based on the 2021 edition of the Basic First Aid in Africa manual from the Belgian Red Cross, covering first aid general principles and instructions for: emergencies (i.e. choking, unconsciousness with and without normal breathing, chest discomfort and stroke, poisoning, and severe external bleeding);; injuries (i.e. skin wounds, burns, and injuries to muscles, joints, limbs, head, neck, and back);; illnesses (i.e. fainting, fever, fits, and diarrhoea). The training consists of a 3-days in-class training with lectures and practical exercises on first aid the-ory and skills, facilitated by a certified first aid instructor of the Rwanda Red Cross.; Other Names: Basic First Aid in Africa (BFA)
No Intervention: Waitlist control; Participants do not receive any training

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
First aid knowledge	20-item multiple choice questionnaire about first aid topics using a numerical scale. Possible scores range from 0 to 20, with higher scores meaning a better outcome.	Before, immediately after, and 6 months after the first aid trainings

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Helping behaviour in the past 6 months	Structured questionnaire to survey the helping behaviour and to gauge the potential barriers and facilitators.	Before and 6 months after the first aid trainings
First aid skills	22-item observation checklist about first aid practical skills using a numerical scale. Possible scores range from 0 to 30, with higher scores meaning a better outcome.	Before, immediately after, and 6 months after the first aid trainings
First aid self-efficacy	10-item scenario-based questionnaire using a 5-point Likert scale assessing self-efficacy concerning first aid topics. Possible scores range from 0 to 40, with higher scores meaning a better outcome.	Before, immediately after, and 6 months after the first aid trainings
First aid willingness to help	6-item scenario-based questionnaire using a 5-point Likert scale assessing willingness to help concerning first aid topics. Possible scores range from 0 to 24, with higher scores meaning a better outcome.	Before, immediately after, and 6 months after the first aid trainings

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Costs	Costs associated with a first aid training, relatively to the gain in knowledge.	Before, immediately after, and 6 months after the first aid trainings

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Centre for Evidence-Based Practice, Belgium
• Collaborators: Belgian Red Cross; Rwanda Red Cross
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Emmy De Buck, PhD, Centre for Evidence-Based Practice, Belgium

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): August 7, 2023
• Primary Completion (Estimated): March 31, 2024
• Study Completion (Estimated): March 31, 2024

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: August 15, 2023
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 15, 2023
• First Posted (Actual): August 22, 2023

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): August 24, 2023
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 22, 2023
• Last Verified: August 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: First aid; Blended learning; Laypeople
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pathologic Processes; Disease Attributes; Emergencies
• Other Study ID Numbers: FABL-001

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No