Alwidyan Mahmoud T, Oteir Alaa O, Alrawashdeh Ahmad, Maabreh Ghaidaa M, Williams Brett
Paramedics Program, Department of Allied Medical Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan.
Paramedics Program, Department of Allied Medical Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan; Department of Paramedicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Int Emerg Nurs. 2022 May;62:101157. doi: 10.1016/j.ienj.2022.101157. Epub 2022 Mar 23.
Ambulance lights and sirens use has traditionally been an important strategy to shorten ambulance travel times. This study explored road users' perceptions toward the importance and risks of lights and sirens use by ambulances in Jordan.
A cross-sectional survey was used on a sample of 1700 adult road users in Northern Jordan. The questionnaire included 19 items addressing demographics, driving-related characteristics, and perception statements toward lights and sirens use. Continuous variables were summarized as means and standard deviation and categorical variables were reported as frequencies and percentages. Chi-square test was used to assess differences between categorical variable.
A total of 1634 participants completed the questionnaire. The mean age was 32.4 (SD ± 11.4) years, and 65.4% were males. Most participants agreed on the importance of using lights and sirens for emergency medical services to function effectively (96.5%), and penalizing those who do not yield to emergency ambulances (90.2%). However, around half of the participants perceive that lights and sirens could be over-used by ambulance personnel (48.1%), provoke distraction (48.7%) and create stress (50.3%) for road users. These negative perceptions were reported more often among males, taxi/bus drivers, and novice drivers.
Although the majority of road users, in our region, acknowledge the importance of ambulance lights and sirens use, about half of them perceive that ambulance lights and sirens put them under stress, distraction, and unacceptable risk. Policy-related and educational interventions might be necessary to monitor the use of ambulance lights and sirens and reduce negative road users' perceptions.
传统上，使用救护车灯光和警报器是缩短救护车行驶时间的一项重要策略。本研究探讨了道路使用者对约旦救护车使用灯光和警报器的重要性及风险的看法。
对约旦北部1700名成年道路使用者进行了横断面调查。问卷包括19个项目，涉及人口统计学、驾驶相关特征以及对使用灯光和警报器的看法陈述。连续变量以均值和标准差进行汇总，分类变量以频率和百分比进行报告。采用卡方检验评估分类变量之间的差异。
共有1634名参与者完成了问卷。平均年龄为32.4（标准差±11.4）岁，男性占65.4%。大多数参与者认同使用灯光和警报器对有效开展紧急医疗服务的重要性（96.5%），以及对不避让紧急救护车的人进行处罚（90.2%）。然而，约一半的参与者认为救护人员可能过度使用灯光和警报器（48.1%），会引起分心（48.7%）并给道路使用者造成压力（50.3%）。在男性、出租车/公交车司机和新手司机中，这些负面看法更为常见。
尽管我们地区的大多数道路使用者认可救护车使用灯光和警报器的重要性，但约一半的人认为救护车灯光和警报器会给他们带来压力、造成分心并带来不可接受的风险。可能需要采取与政策相关的教育干预措施，以监督救护车灯光和警报器的使用，并减少道路使用者的负面看法。
