First responder's care package on management of road traffic accident victims of Udupi: Study protocol

Aim: To evaluate the effectiveness of 'first responder's care package' on knowledge and skill on the management of road traffic accident (RTA) victims. The outcomes relate to the quality of first responder's care by autorickshaw drivers.

Methods: Autorickshaw drivers (N = 1,040) will be assessed to identify the impediments and knowledge to provide the first responder's care to RTA victims following which, 150 autorickshaw drivers will be selected based on a cut-off knowledge score to train half of them using workshops. Drivers below 55 years and willing to participate will be recruited and drivers with serious health issues, homophobia and who cannot read English or Kannada will be excluded. Randomized controlled trial with repeated measures design will be adopted. Funding for the research is by the Indian Council of Medical Research and it is registered in the Clinical Trial Registry of India.

Discussion: Road traffic accidents are responsible for 85% of the total global mortality and 90% of the 'Disability Adjusted Life Years' in the developing countries amounting to an annual loss of $65 billion to $100 billion. India's rate of RTA deaths is high and postcrash care is not addressed efficiently by any agencies in India. Autorickshaw drivers could be ideal candidates for teaching the first responder's care package in India as they are a constant presence on the roads and reach all the main roads and small lanes of the country.

Impact: The research will add to knowledge on quality of first responder's care provided to accident victims. If the intervention is found to be fruitful for the accident victims of the locality, it can be recommended to be implemented all over the state.