Evaluating the impact of a training program in prehospital trauma care and mental health for traffic police in Arusha, Tanzania

Abstract

Background: Tanzania does not have a formalized prehospital Emergency Medical Services (EMS) response. As a result, traffic police play an integral role in the emergency response system. This study examines the potential impact of a brief training program in prehospital trauma care and mental health to improve knowledge, self-efficacy, and practice intentions related to trauma care among police officers.

Method: A cohort of 45 police officers were enrolled to participate in the training and accompanying evaluation. The training was 12 h long, held over 3 days, and included education on how to manage traumatic injuries in a prehospital environment. The course included classroom instruction, hands on skills practice, and a training simulation. Officers received instruction on conducting a primary survey, managing common airway, spinal cord, and bleeding emergencies, as well as coping strategies for their own mental health. Before and after the course, a 26-item assessment was administered to measure knowledge, self-efficacy, and practice intentions specific to the training. The study used paired-samples t-tests to compare scores in each of the three domains before and after the training.

Results: Participants demonstrated significantly improved knowledge (M = 0.30, SD = 0.27; t(34) = 6.67, p <.001), greater self-efficacy (M = 0.44, SD = 0.53; t(34) = 4.97, p <.001), and more evidence-informed practice intentions (M = 0.12, SD = 0.28; t(34) = 2.55, p <.05) at the conclusion of the course.

Conclusion: Police officers who received the 12-hour training focused on trauma management were better prepared to respond to emergencies and demonstrated a greater understanding of prehospital trauma care. Further studies are required to assess real world impact of the training and to determine how to increase support for traffic police as emergency medical responders in low-resource settings.

Keywords: Emergency medical services; Low- and middle-income countries; Mental health; Motor vehicle collision; Police; Tanzania, East Africa; Trauma care.