New Study Shows Men Are More Reluctant to Give Life-Saving CPR to Women

An emergency defibrillator, used to treat life-threatening conditions that affect the rhythm of the heart such as cardiac arrhythmia, hangs on the wall at the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield on July 1, 2014. Seth Perlman/AP Photo

An estimated 436,000 people die from cardiac emergencies each year, according to the American Heart Association (AHA), and 350,000 cardiac events occur outside of the hospital.

Minutes count when someone suffers a heart attack or stroke, regardless of gender. However, recent studies show that women are less likely to receive lifesaving cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) from bystanders.

A study by St. John Ambulance in the United Kingdom found that one-third of the people surveyed were afraid to give CPR to women out of fear of inappropriate touching accusations.

Thirty-three percent of men in the study said they’re worried about being accused of inappropriate contact when giving chest compressions to a woman in cardiac arrest.

In comparison, 13 percent of women expressed hesitation about performing CPR.

“Unfortunately, only about 40 percent of people who experience OHCA [Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest] get the immediate help that they need before professional help arrives,” the AHA said on its website.

The organization said 2023 heart disease and stroke statistics revealed that out of 356,000 OCHA events that occurred, 40.2 percent received bystander CPR.

In the United States, about 18 percent of people know how to give CPR, and 2.5 percent get training every year.

The AHA’s Vice President of Health Science, Dr. Comilla Sasson, told The Epoch Times that research in the United States showed similar results to the St. John Ambulance’s study, but it’s not a new problem for women.

“The reluctance, research suggests, may be fueled by worries of being accused of sexual assault or doing physical harm,” she said.

“It’s important to note that just because we’ve recently seen data on this disparity, doesn’t mean that it hasn’t existed before now, only that investments in research have more recently focused on women’s health.”

She said a 2018 study published in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes found that 45 percent of men received bystander CPR compared with 39 percent of women.

“Men had 23 percent higher odds of survival than women,” Sasson said.

Sasson said that about 70 percent of cardiac arrests happen at home, so it’s essential that at least one person in every household knows CPR.

“Six out of 10 women who suffer a cardiac arrest in public die because people passing by are often uncomfortable touching them, but it doesn’t have to be that way,” she said.

“In fact, CPR can double or even triple someone’s chance of surviving if provided immediately.”

In February, the Duke University School of Medicine published a study showing that women were 14 percent less likely to receive bystander CPR and defibrillator intervention than men.

Medical staff practice cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) emergency procedures on a mannequin in Mulhouse, eastern France, on June 26, 2023. Sebastien Bozo/AFP via Getty Images

The Duke team analyzed more than 309,000 cardiac arrest cases from 2013 to 2019 in 47 states.

“This inequity of bystander CPR for women is staggering,” said Dr. Audrey Blewer, an assistant professor in the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, in a statement.

Blewer said that statistics show that 10 percent of people who suffer a cardiac arrest outside of a hospital survive.

“That’s what makes the results of this study especially sad. Having that shock to the chest and restarting the heart can significantly increase the likelihood a person lives,” said Blewer, who is also an AHA cardiovascular volunteer.

Blewer alluded to a 2019 study that found that bystanders feared performing CPR on a woman might result in accusations of inappropriate contact or harm to the victim.

Increasing Survival Rate

The Harvard Medical School estimates that the odds of surviving a cardiac arrest outside of a hospital are between 2 and 15 percent.

“Getting CPR immediately—and if you’re not in a hospital, that usually means from a bystander—could mean the difference between life and death,” the Womick Law Firm noted on its website.

In a moment of crisis, bystander fears of getting sued may scare them off.

According to the law firm, the 2000 Federal Cardiac Arrest Survival Act shields those who perform CPR or use an AED from civil liability, except for willful misconduct or gross negligence.

“Good Samaritan laws exist on a state-by-state basis. Mostly, they provide at least some protection for those who perform CPR or use an AED,” the law firm said.

“Some states actually require you to step in if you know CPR or, in some cases, if you are a medical professional.”

Taking Red Cross CPR, First Aid, and AED classes helps prepare you to correctly provide much-needed assistance when seconds count. Microgen/Shutterstock

Good Samaritan law in Vermont, for instance, requires bystanders to give “reasonable assistance” or face a $100 fine.

The firm further notes that if the victim has a Do Not Resuscitate order, you must follow it and avoid giving CPR.

However, “If you didn’t know about it, you generally can’t be prosecuted for giving lifesaving CPR anyway.”

Sasson said the Good Samaritan law protects people who assist those who are injured, ill, or in danger.

“You will have legal protection if you act voluntarily and without the expectation of reimbursement or compensation while performing such aid on-site.

“This includes performing hands-only CPR on a woman’s chest.”

Raising Awareness

St. John Ambulance has launched a campaign using educational bras for women to let people know that it’s all right to do CPR on them.

“The CPR bra campaign was created to highlight the issues facing women in cardiac arrest in public and prompting people to take action,” St. John Ambulance told The Epoch Times in an email.

“Sometimes bystanders delay helping a woman in cardiac arrest because they feel uncomfortable touching a woman’s body in case they accidentally touch their breasts when giving chest compressions, or are accused of inappropriate touching.

“The campaign is about raising awareness of these barriers and to reassure bystanders that in an emergency, starting CPR is the right thing to do to save a life regardless of gender.”

The bra has the message “It’s OK to Save My Life” on the front and a reminder of what to do if you have a cardiac arrest.

“The interest the bra has created has prompted thousands and thousands of people to visit our website to read the first aid advice,” St. John Ambulance said.

Sasson said that the AHA is committed to turning a nation of bystanders into a nation of lifesaving people through education and CPR training.

“The long-term goal: to ensure that in the face of a cardiac emergency, anyone, anywhere is prepared and empowered to perform CPR and become a vital link in the chain of survival,” Sasson said.