Community life support training: does it attract the right people?

Members of the public were recruited by means of a local newspaper campaign for basic life support instruction by mass training sessions. Six hundred and seventy two were trained and a random sample of 241 completed a questionnaire on their attitudes and willingness to attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitation in an emergency. At the end of the course almost all (99%) approved the concept of community training and 198 (82%) believed themselves capable of saving a life using the techniques they had been taught. Sixty-seven percent of respondents were related to someone with a heart problem and more than 97% expressed willingness to resuscitate a relative. Half would be willing to attempt resuscitation in unpleasant circumstances, but only a quarter thought that they might do so if the casualty had vomited.

The campaign was successful in recruiting members of the public related to those with a higher risk of cardiac arrest and producing life supporters who intended to use their skills, should they be required.