Research on the impact of using female CPR manikins or breast adjuncts during CPR trainings is nonexistent. Using data from a mass CPR training event, LifeSaveHer conducted a research study which found that the use of CPR manikin breast adjuncts improved trainee comfort levels in performing CPR on women. This study was recently published in the Journal of Emergency Medical Services.
Abstract
Previous studies have shown that women are less likely than men to receive bystander CPR during an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. One potential contributor to this disparity is the widespread lack of female representation in CPR manikins and CPR instructional materials. For this study, a silicone-based, AED-compatible breast adjunct that attaches anteriorly to non-breasted CPR manikins was produced. This study assessed whether practicing this breast adjunct during CPR training would improve trainee comfort levels in performing CPR on women. Pre- and post-training surveys were administered, with ten questions assessing participant comfort levels in performing CPR on men and women.
We evaluated differences in reported comfort among and between control (trainees who did not practice with the adjunct) and adjunct (trainees who practiced with the adjunct) volunteer rescuers. In the post-class survey comparison, the group that practiced using the female adjunct reported greater comfort in performing CPR on women than the control group, regardless of chest exposure, across all survey questions specific to women (p<0.05). Across these questions, the adjunct group exhibited an overall 1.9 times greater increase in comfort in performing CPR on women after the class than the control group. As such, our preliminary findings provide evidence that breast adjuncts may be used during CPR training to decrease bystander hesitancy in performing CPR on women. Further research on the efficacy of female manikins and breast adjuncts in a randomized controlled setting is warranted to inform CPR education guidelines and address the gender disparity in bystander CPR.