Étude de la prévention et de la gestion des accidents cardiaques qui surviennent en plein cours d'EPS dans les collèges et lycées publics de la région de Dakar

Objective: To study the prevention and management of cardiac accidents during physical education and sports (PES) classes in public middle and high schools in the Dakar region. Methods: A questionnaire was administered to 83 PES teachers in public middle and high schools in Dakar, covering student admission to PES classes, teacher first aid skills, and the existence of infirmaries equipped with defibrillators and competent healthcare personnel. Results: Prevention of cardiac accidents is deemed inadequate, as most teachers do not require a medical examination before admitting students to PES classes. This indicates a negligence of student health. While most teachers have been trained in first aid, a concerning minority remain untrained. There is a strong consensus among teachers to stop physical activity when students show signs of distress (pain, palpitations, dizziness, etc.) during PES classes, highlighting a shared priority for student safety. However, some teachers are still unable to administer first aid in the event of a cardiac accident. Additionally, only seven institutions have a defibrillator, and 36 institutions do not have an infirmary. Conclusion: The lack of a mandatory medical examination for admission to PES classes, the absence of infirmaries equipped with defibrillators in most public middle and high schools, and the hiring of teachers not trained in first aid indicate that Senegalese public schools are far from effectively preventing cardiac accidents and sudden deaths, an issue persisting for the past five years.