The Importance of CPR Education: Addressing Concerns Surrounding Rescuing Women

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The Importance of CPR Education Addressing
Concerns Surrounding Rescuing Women
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Performing CPR on women during emergencies is a
crucial skill that can save lives. However,
recent research reveals that women are less
likely to receive CPR from bystanders. The
reluctance to provide assistance stems from
concerns about potential accusations of sexual
assault or causing harm. Experts emphasize that
understanding these apprehensions is the first
step towards dispelling them. The findings are
based on a survey conducted among 520 men and
women. Participants were asked to rank various
reasons why someone might hesitate to administer
bystander CPR to a woman, taking into account the
gender of the rescuer. The survey built upon
previous research where respondents used their
own words to describe potential hesitations in
providing lifesaving care to strangers.
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By categorizing the open-ended responses into
themes, the survey uncovered common concerns.
Both men and women identified the fear of being
accused of sexual assault or inappropriate
touching as the primary reason why male rescuers
might refrain from giving CPR to a woman. On the
other hand, the major concern for female rescuers
was the fear of inadvertently harming the victim.
Additionally, respondents mentioned
misconceptions that male or female rescuers might
hold, such as believing that women are less prone
to cardiac arrests or assuming that a woman is
being overdramatic. Presented at the American
Heart Association's virtual Resuscitation Science
Symposium, the research is considered preliminary
until published in a peer-reviewed journal.
Shelby Shelton, a professional research assistant
at the University of Colorado Department of
Emergency Medicine and one of the investigators,
hopes that this information will help eliminate
biases in CPR administration.
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Every year, more than 350,000 sudden cardiac
arrests occur outside hospitals, with
approximately 19 occurring in public settings.
Immediate bystander CPR can double or triple a
person's chances of survival. Unfortunately,
women are less likely to receive such assistance.
A study published in Circulation Cardiovascular
Quality and Outcomes in 2018 found that only 39
of women received bystander CPR, compared to 45
of men. Consequently, men had 23 higher odds of
survival than women. "Everyone deserves to get
CPR and a chance at a great outcome when they
collapse in public," emphasized Shelton. "We want
to encourage strong public education around that
core message."
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The study also revealed a surprising similarity
in perceptions between men and women regarding
the deterrents to providing CPR. Dr. Sarah
Perman, the study's senior investigator and an
emergency physician, noted that participants were
asked about how they perceived others might feel
when administering CPR to a woman, removing any
reluctance to answer honestly. Dr. Ashish
Panchal, a professor of emergency medicine at the
Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, who
was not involved in the study, suggested that
framing the question in this manner could unveil
hidden fears and provide valuable insights for
training purposes. He emphasized the importance
of combating the misconception that bystander CPR
could cause harm, as the probability of injury is
extremely low.
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Similarly, Perman stressed the need to assure
people that it is acceptable to touch a woman
they don't know when providing life-saving
assistance. "A woman at the gym or the grocery
store who is in medical distress is clearly a
scenario that warrants public assistance," she
said. Furthermore, the data obtained from this
study could prove beneficial in training 911
dispatchers. By understanding the fears people
may have, dispatchers can help dispel those
concerns while guiding individuals over the phone
on the necessary steps to perform CPR in
real-time.
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Efforts to address these concerns and promote CPR
education are vital to ensure that all
individuals, regardless of gender, receive timely
and effective life-saving assistance in emergency
situations.
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Source https//www.heart.org/en/news/2020/11/23/w
hy-people-fear-performing-cpr-on-women-and-what-to
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