UK women who suffer cardiac arrest in public less likely to get CPR, survey finds

A 3rd of men interest they would beryllium accused of 'inappropriate' touching erstwhile giving CPR to a woman, versus 13% of women, a survey has revealed

Women who endure cardiac arrests successful nationalist are little apt to person thorax compressions from bystanders arsenic radical "worry astir touching their breasts", according to caller research.

The survey, which progressive 1,000 British people, recovered that astir a 4th were little apt to execute CPR on a pistillate successful public. A 3rd of men (33%) expressed concerns astir being accused of "inappropriate" touching erstwhile administering CPR to a woman, compared to 13% of women.

This "taboo" surrounding women’s chests creates an "alarming sex disparity" successful entree to exigency aesculapian care, with lone 68% of women apt to person CPR from bystanders compared to 73% of men. The study, commissioned by St John Ambulance, suggests that implicit 8,200 women successful England and Wales could person survived their bosom attacks if they had received the aforesaid attraction arsenic men.

In response, St John Ambulance, a supplier of archetypal assistance and exigency aesculapian services, has launched a run to "reassure radical that taking action, fast, is the close happening to do" and to "close this unnecessary sex spread for good". Jordan Davison, a assemblage acquisition manager astatine St John Ambulance, said: "Our connection to radical is that it is ever amended to bash thing than thing successful these circumstances.

"Regardless of gender, erstwhile it comes to CPR, each ‘body’ is the same, the method is the same, and everyone deserves the champion imaginable accidental of survival." The British Heart Foundation reveals that implicit 30,000 radical successful the UK endure out-of-hospital cardiac arrests annually, with little than 1 successful 10 surviving.

However, CPR and defibrillator usage tin much than treble a person's endurance chances. Yet, 38% of Britons accidental they would consciousness uncomfortable utilizing the defibrillator connected a pistillate arsenic its pads request to beryllium placed connected bare tegument successful the thorax area.

Nearly fractional of the men surveyed (46%) expressing unease astatine the thought of perchance having to region a woman's clothing, specified arsenic a bra, successful opposition to the 31% of women feeling the aforesaid uneasiness.

Chelsea FC Women’s Captain Millie Bright, who backs the campaign, witnessed the fearfulness of a suspected cardiac apprehension connected the field. "I’ve had the acquisition of being connected the transportation erstwhile idiosyncratic suffered a suspected cardiac arrest, and it was terrifying."

She added: "It’s truthful important that we each instrumentality the clip to larn however to prevention a life, arsenic we ne'er cognize erstwhile we mightiness request the assistance of strangers. To larn that arsenic a pistillate I americium much astatine hazard due to the fact that radical are uncomfortable to supply assistance owed to my sex is shocking."

The study suggests 64% of respondents would beryllium much assured successful performing CPR with due acquisition and support. Mr Davison commented: "Whilst this latest probe flags immoderate concerning issues astir people’s comfortableness levels successful performing CPR connected women, it isn’t wholly surprising. These concerns are often raised successful our grooming sessions."