Men refuse to give life-saving CPR to women because they are afraid of touching their breasts
One in three Britons are afraid to resuscitate women because they are afraid of touching their breasts, a survey has found.
The same percentage of men (33 percent) are also afraid of being accused of ‘inappropriate’ touching when giving chest compressions to women.
However, only 13 percent of women have the same reservations, according to the survey of 1,000 British adults for St John Ambulance.
The first aid organization warned that the sexual taboo puts women at greater risk of dying from cardiac arrest, stressing: ‘When it comes to resuscitation, every body is the same.’
Previous research has found that only 68 percent of women are likely to undergo bystander CPR, compared to 73 percent of men.
Britons are afraid to resuscitate women because they are afraid of touching their breasts. However, only 13 percent of women have the same reservations, according to the survey of 1,000 British adults for St John Ambulance.
Nearly half of male respondents (46 percent) said they would feel less comfortable using a defibrillator on a woman knowing they might have to remove her clothing, including bra, compared to 31 percent of the women interviewed
And survival from the time of cardiac arrest to hospital admission was 34 percent for women, but 37 percent for men.
St John Ambulance wants everyone to learn CPR, which is given equally to both sexes, adding: ‘Everyone deserves the best possible chance of survival.’
A defibrillator can make a crucial difference because, if used within the first three minutes, it can increase a person’s chance of surviving cardiac arrest by up to 70 percent.
The defibrillator has electrodes that should be placed on bare skin on the chest.
However, upon hearing this instruction, 38 percent of people agreed that their level of discomfort would increase.
Nearly half of male respondents (46 percent) said they would feel less comfortable using a defibrillator on a woman knowing they might have to remove her clothing, including bra, compared to 31 percent of the women interviewed.
Nearly a quarter (23 percent) of all respondents admitted that they are less likely to resuscitate a woman in public than a man.
However, two in three (64 percent) agreed that their comfort levels would increase if they received the right support and training.
Jordan Davison, community experience manager at St John Ambulance, said: ‘While this latest research highlights some worrying issues around people’s comfort levels in performing CPR on women, it is not entirely surprising.
‘These concerns regularly arise during our training.
‘Our message to people is that under these circumstances it is always better to do something than nothing.
‘Regardless of gender, when it comes to resuscitation, every body is the same, the technique is the same and everyone deserves the best possible chance of survival.
‘By supporting this campaign, signing up for a free public first aid demonstration, visiting our website for first aid advice or taking a training course – together let’s break this taboo and close this unnecessary gender gap for good.’
More than 30,000 people in Britain suffer an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest every year, with fewer than one in 10 surviving, according to the British Heart Foundation.
Millie Bright, captain of Chelsea Football Club’s women’s team, said: ‘I’ve had the experience of being on the pitch when someone went into suspected cardiac arrest and it was terrifying.
‘It’s so important that we all take the time to learn how to save a life, because we never know when we’ll need help from strangers.
“It’s shocking to hear that as a woman I am more at risk because people don’t feel comfortable offering help because of my gender.”