Half of Scots not confident of performing CPR, study finds

Half of Scotland's adults would not feel confident performing CPR, according to a new study. The research is the first of its kind to examine the willingness of Scots to carry out the life-saving procedure. Findings from the University of Stirling-led study show 50% of 1,027 people surveyed said they would not feel confident administering bystander CPR - with a further 21% saying they would not know if it was required.

Research fellow Fiona Dobbie said: “The findings of our study will help develop policy and future interventions to improve the rate of bystander CPR. From a policy perspective, there is a need for more tailored and targeted interventions to encourage CPR training, which has been linked with improving confidence in CPR.

“As confidence increases, so does the likelihood of providing emergency aid in an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.''

A fear of causing injury to the victim was the reason 22% said they would not perform CPR while 19% said they would be reluctant due to lack of skills.

A total of 19% said visible vomit or blood would put them off and another 16% would be discouraged by signs that the ill person is a drug user, the poll found.

The team found confidence was affected by age, social grade and employment status.

Results show the older the person was, the less likely they were to be trained in CPR, show willingness to be trained or feel confident to administer CPR.

A total of 58% of 35 to 44-year-olds said they would like to be trained in CPR, compared to just 37% of 55 to 64-year-olds and 23% of those aged 65 and over.

Respondents with professional, managerial and non-manual occupations were more likely to have been trained in the manoeuvre than those in manual or unskilled occupations and the long-term unemployed.

In 2015, Scotland's strategy for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest was launched with the aim of equipping 500,000 people with CPR skills in a bid to save an additional 300 lives a year.

Public health minister Aileen Campbell said: “That half of adults in Scotland in this survey were already confident giving CPR gives us a firm foundation to build on, and to date more than 200,000 people across the country have learned CPR since 2015.

“This is great progress towards our 500,000 target by 2020 and a testimony to the work put in by our Save A Life For Scotland partnership, who have brought these lifesaving skills to more people across the country.

“Any CPR is better than no CPR and we know it's the main way we can increase survival after out of hospital cardiac arrest.'