Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Military Personnel Regarding Heat-Related Illness Risk Factors: Results of a Chinese Cross-Sectional Study
Background: Military personnel are widely exposed to risk factors for heat-related illnesses. Knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) are three of the most important means by which to prevent such illnesses, but there has been a lack of investigations into and correlation analyses of KAP. This stu...
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| Format: | Article |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-06-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Public Health |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2021.707264/full |
| _version_ | 1819103763506397184 |
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| author | Xuren Wang Xuren Wang Demeng Xia Demeng Xia Xisha Long Yixin Wang Kaiwen Wu Shuogui Xu Li Gui |
| author_facet | Xuren Wang Xuren Wang Demeng Xia Demeng Xia Xisha Long Yixin Wang Kaiwen Wu Shuogui Xu Li Gui |
| author_sort | Xuren Wang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Military personnel are widely exposed to risk factors for heat-related illnesses. Knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) are three of the most important means by which to prevent such illnesses, but there has been a lack of investigations into and correlation analyses of KAP. This study aimed to explore the heat-related KAP of military personnel in China.Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study (June 1-25, 2019). A total of 646 military personnel were recruited from two Chinese Navy troops in the tropical zone and one troop in the temperate zone. We collected data on demographic characteristics and KAP scores using questionnaires. Univariate analysis and Scheffe's method were used for data analyses.Results: The mean KAP scores were 10.37 (range = 3–13, standard deviation = 1.63) for knowledge (K-score), 7.76 (range = 0–16, SD = 2.65) for attitudes (A-score), and 3.80 (range = 1–6, SD = 1.12) for practices (P-score). There were noticeable differences in mean K-score according to age, military rank, and educational level (P < 0.05). Participants from the tropical zone had higher A-scores (P < 0.05) and higher P-scores (P < 0.001) than those from the temperate zone. Additionally, participants with relevant experience also had higher A-scores (P < 0.05) than those without such experience.Conclusions: Military personnel's awareness of preventive and first-aid measures against heat-related illnesses need to be strengthened. It will be very important to develop educational programmes and enrich systematic educational resources to raise this awareness. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T01:55:38Z |
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| id | doaj.art-b9e104b1389e42c2ba4fb7b0961c6073 |
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| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T01:55:38Z |
| publishDate | 2021-06-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-b9e104b1389e42c2ba4fb7b0961c60732022-12-21T18:42:47ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Public Health2296-25652021-06-01910.3389/fpubh.2021.707264707264Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Military Personnel Regarding Heat-Related Illness Risk Factors: Results of a Chinese Cross-Sectional StudyXuren Wang0Xuren Wang1Demeng Xia2Demeng Xia3Xisha Long4Yixin Wang5Kaiwen Wu6Shuogui Xu7Li Gui8Emergency Nursing Department, School of Nursing, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, ChinaNursing Department, The Second Naval Hospital of Southern Theater Command of PLA, Hainan, ChinaDepartment of Emergency, Changhai Hospital, Naval Military Medical University, Shanghai, ChinaDepartment of Orthopaedics, The Naval Hospital of Eastern Theater Command of PLA, Zhejiang, ChinaEmergency Nursing Department, School of Nursing, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, ChinaEmergency Nursing Department, School of Nursing, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, ChinaSouthwest Jiaotong University College of Medicine, Southwest Jiaotong University Affiliated Chengdu Third People' s Hospital, Chengdu, ChinaDepartment of Emergency, Changhai Hospital, Naval Military Medical University, Shanghai, ChinaEmergency Nursing Department, School of Nursing, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, ChinaBackground: Military personnel are widely exposed to risk factors for heat-related illnesses. Knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) are three of the most important means by which to prevent such illnesses, but there has been a lack of investigations into and correlation analyses of KAP. This study aimed to explore the heat-related KAP of military personnel in China.Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study (June 1-25, 2019). A total of 646 military personnel were recruited from two Chinese Navy troops in the tropical zone and one troop in the temperate zone. We collected data on demographic characteristics and KAP scores using questionnaires. Univariate analysis and Scheffe's method were used for data analyses.Results: The mean KAP scores were 10.37 (range = 3–13, standard deviation = 1.63) for knowledge (K-score), 7.76 (range = 0–16, SD = 2.65) for attitudes (A-score), and 3.80 (range = 1–6, SD = 1.12) for practices (P-score). There were noticeable differences in mean K-score according to age, military rank, and educational level (P < 0.05). Participants from the tropical zone had higher A-scores (P < 0.05) and higher P-scores (P < 0.001) than those from the temperate zone. Additionally, participants with relevant experience also had higher A-scores (P < 0.05) than those without such experience.Conclusions: Military personnel's awareness of preventive and first-aid measures against heat-related illnesses need to be strengthened. It will be very important to develop educational programmes and enrich systematic educational resources to raise this awareness.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2021.707264/fullheat waveheat-related illnessmilitary personnelChinaknowledgeattitude |
| spellingShingle | Xuren Wang Xuren Wang Demeng Xia Demeng Xia Xisha Long Yixin Wang Kaiwen Wu Shuogui Xu Li Gui Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Military Personnel Regarding Heat-Related Illness Risk Factors: Results of a Chinese Cross-Sectional Study Frontiers in Public Health heat wave heat-related illness military personnel China knowledge attitude |
| title | Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Military Personnel Regarding Heat-Related Illness Risk Factors: Results of a Chinese Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_full | Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Military Personnel Regarding Heat-Related Illness Risk Factors: Results of a Chinese Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_fullStr | Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Military Personnel Regarding Heat-Related Illness Risk Factors: Results of a Chinese Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Military Personnel Regarding Heat-Related Illness Risk Factors: Results of a Chinese Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_short | Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Military Personnel Regarding Heat-Related Illness Risk Factors: Results of a Chinese Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_sort | knowledge attitudes and practices of military personnel regarding heat related illness risk factors results of a chinese cross sectional study |
| topic | heat wave heat-related illness military personnel China knowledge attitude |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2021.707264/full |
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