A STUDY TO DETERMINE FIRST AID KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS OF JYVÄSKYLÄ JAGUAARIT YOUTH AMERICAN FOOTBALL TEAM ON COMMON INJURIES

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the existing level of knowledge and skills regarding first aid in common injuries amongst the Jyväskylä Jaguaarit youth American football team. The target group was the under 21 years old team. The study was inspired by the fact that, during practice and training sessions, the team usually has no trained professionals to take care of the injuries and provide first aid. Thus, the players and coaches assume this responsibility. A descriptive quantitative approach was used in this study, using a closed-ended multiple-choice questionnaire to collect the statistical data from the participants. The questionnaire was projected to gain specific knowledge on the most common injuries occurring in youth football. Results indicated that the youth team had the basic knowledge on the treatment of the most common injuries football, but clearly lacked knowledge on the various initial steps needed to care for an injured teammate. Twenty-seven participants took part in the study, out of which more than half had prior first aid knowledge or qualification. An average of 62% of the participants answered correctly. This can be attributed to the fact that, half of the participants had prior first aid knowledge. Using the results from this study, it is recommended that further first aid education is needed for the team in order to boost their skills and confidence in handling injury situations. However, the responsibility of providing first aid should not be left to the players and coaches to handle. In addition, a larger nationwide sample-size would produce far more results, which could provide a bigger picture of the current situation in Finland.