Fear of harming someone experiencing a medical emergency is the most common reason bystanders are hesitant to initiate CPR, according to a study published in the Emergency Medical Journal.
For the study, researchers analyzed survey responses of 582 people attending CPR training classes nationwide between February and May 2018.
Four study findings:
1. When given a hypothetical scenario involving someone experiencing cardiac arrest, less than 65 percent of respondents said they would be "extremely likely" or "moderately likely" to initiate CPR.
2. The most common concern was injuring a patient when the scenario involved female, geriatric or adolescent victims.
3. When the scenario involved elderly victims or children, the second leading concern was lack of appropriate skills.
4. When the situation involved a female victim, the second largest concern was removing the patient's shirt.
"Participants at CPR training events have multiple concerns and fears related to performing bystander CPR," researchers concluded. "These findings should be considered for improved CPR training and public education."