RESUMEN
The objective of this article is to assess community member knowledge, attitude, and practice of emergency medical care in Baghdad, Iraq. We performed a randomized, cluster-based, household Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice (KAP) survey regarding pre-hospital and hospital-based emergency medical care among Baghdad community members. A total of 1172 individuals participated in the survey. While most (93.5%) understood that for a serious injury, one should go to the hospital within three hours, only half (50.6%) felt that ambulances were beneficial and only 5% knew that there was a number to call in case of medical emergency. Regarding attitudes, only half (50.2%) of those interviewed felt an ambulance would arrive within an hour, while higher proportions of people believed that paramedics (59.1%) and medical staff working in emergency departments were adequately trained (71.5%). In terms of practice, most Iraqis responded that they would seek care in a hospital (84.8-90.0%) by means other than an ambulance (98.0-99.2%). However, if an ambulance arrived, 77% would allow it to transport their friends/family and 73.5% would trust the medical staff in the hospital to appropriately treat them. Our conclusion is that emergency medical care in Iraq is still in the development phase. Although numerous ambulances have been commissioned, scores of paramedics have been trained, and staff working in Baghdad Emergency Departments have undergone updates in their practice, the public does not appear to be fully informed of these changes. Future developments in Iraqi emergency medical care should include targeted efforts to expand the public awareness of such services.
