Sad reason people won't give women life-saving CPR

Women who go into cardiac arrest in public are less likely than men to receive chest compressions from bystanders as people “worry about touching their breasts”, a recent study has revealed. Nearly a quarter of the 1,000 British people surveyed admitted they were less likely to perform CPR on a woman in public – with a third of men (33%) worrying they would be accused of “inappropriate” touching when giving CPR to a woman, versus 13% of women.

The survey suggests the “taboo” surrounding women’s chests creates an “alarming gender disparity” in access to emergency medical care – with only 68% of women likely to receive CPR from bystanders compared to 73% of men. Overall, more than 8,200 women in England and Wales could have survived their heart attacks had they been given the same treatment as men, the study commissioned by St John Ambulance claimed.

The organisation, which teaches first aid and emergency medical services, launched a campaign to “reassure people that taking action, fast, is the right thing to do” and to “close this unnecessary gender gap for good”. “Our message to people is that it is always better to do something than nothing in these circumstances,” said Jordan Davison, a community experience manager at St John Ambulance.

“Regardless of gender, when it comes to CPR, every ‘body’ is the same, the technique is the same, and everyone deserves the best possible chance of survival.” According to the British Heart Foundation, more than 30,000 people have an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in the UK each year, with less than one in 10 surviving – but performing CPR and using a defibrillator can more than double a person’s chances of survival.

Yet, 38% of Britons say they would feel uncomfortable using the defibrillator on a woman as its pads need to be placed on bare skin in the chest area. Nearly half of the male respondents (46%) stated they would feel less comfortable using a defibrillator on a woman knowing that they might have to remove her clothing, including a bra, versus 31% of females surveyed.

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Chelsea FC Women’s Captain , who supports the campaign, said: “I’ve had the experience of being on the pitch when someone suffered a suspected cardiac arrest, and it was terrifying. It’s so important that we all take the time to learn how to save a life, as we never know when we might need the help of strangers.

“To learn that as a woman I am more at risk because people are uncomfortable to provide help due to my gender is shocking.”

The report suggests appropriate training could solve the problem, with 64% of all respondents indicating that they would feel more comfortable performing CPR if they received the right education and support. “Whilst this latest research flags some concerning issues around people’s comfort levels in performing CPR on women, it isn’t wholly surprising”, Mr Davison said.

“These concerns are frequently raised in our training sessions.”