Level of knowledge about cardiopulmonary resuscitation among the general population and the influence of sociodemographic factors: a quantitative survey

Background: Sudden cardiac arrest is one of the most common causes of death in Europe and Germany. It often occurs at home or in public places. For the prognosis of affected patients, it is crucial that people who witness cardiac arrest are able to recognize it and initiate resuscita- tion. Compared to other European countries, the rate of lay resuscitation in Germany has been relatively low for years. This study therefore examines the following question: What does the population know about cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and are there differences in terms of sociodemographic factors? Materials and Methods: This study was conducted using an empirical online survey. A total of 170 people aged 18 and older who had no prior medical training participated. Knowledge of cardiopulmonary resuscitation was assessed using a questionnaire with 25 items. The question- naire also included three videos depicting different scenarios of lay resuscitation. In order to identify possible differences in knowledge levels with regard to sociodemographic factors, these were analyzed in conjunction with the overall level of knowledge.