Socio-demographic Characteristics of Basic Life Support Course Participants

Summary

Aim The aim of the study is to characterize the typical basic life support (BLS) course participant. The characterization include age, sex, education, ethnicity, income, health care data and cohabitation. All data will be compared with that of the general population. Hereby the study wish identify potential focus areas for recruitment of willing and able bystanders to increase survival. Furthermore, this study will provide a foundation for evaluation of current initiatives.

Significance In Denmark, several population-based campaigns have been initiated to increase the amount of able and willing laypersons to assist at out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). The main focus has been on increasing the quantity of laypersons attending BLS courses. Even measures of changing legislation mandating course participation have been passed and implemented. Estimates state that approximately 3-4.5% of the entire Danish population participates in BLS courses annually. Consequently, a substantial amount of resources has been spent on educating and certifying laypersons in BLS on a population level. In this study, the characteristics of these BLS course participants will be described. This will provide the basis for evaluation of already implemented interventions. Additionally, this study will be able to support course distributors, foundations and national councils in making strategies for further recruitment based on evidence. The present study will assist in pinpointing society groups with a theoretical bystander potential, but low level of BLS education. This can guide future efforts in trying to improve bystander initiated cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and survival from OHCA.

Methods The study population includes all Danish citizens who attended a BLS training course certificate from 2016-2018 above the age of 15. This cut off is based on the earliest mandatory BLS training in primary school. Using Personal Identifications Numbers (PIN) of BLS course participant from January 1st, 2016 to December 31st, 2018, data will be extracted and delivered anonymously, including information on age, sex, income, education, ethnicity and cohabitation, from the Statistics Denmark. The relative risk of BLS course attendance stratified by education and income level, cohabitation status, age of youngest child, urbanization level, sex and ethnicity of the Danish BLS course participants compared to the general population will be presented. Prevalence of BLS courses participants by age and sex will be analyzed and graphically display and prevalence of BLS course participants by income and age will be calculated by regression models. A layperson focus group interview consisting of BLS course participants will be conducted to explore the attending courses participants views of the project and to revise accordingly.

Anonymity is secured through a data processing agreement between the Danish First Aid Council and Statistics Denmark, facilitated by the Copenhagen Emergency Medical Services. An application will be formulated to the Danish Data protection agency regarding storage of data.

Expected outcome A characterization of the typical BLS course participants in Denmark with median age, sex, cohabitation, income and education. The association between sociodemographic characteristics of BLS course participants and relevant prevalence's by the entire population will be presented.

Conditions

• BLS
• Recruitment

Interventions

OTHER

Basic Life Support Courses

4 hours basic life support courses for laypersons

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Aalborg University

  collaborator OTHER

• Emergency Medical Services, Capital Region, Denmark

  lead OTHER_GOV

Principal Investigators

• Freddy K Lippert, MD,Ass.Prof · Copenhagen Emergency Medical Services

Eligibility

Min Age

15 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2020-01-01

Primary Completion

2022-02-01

Completion

2022-02-01

Countries

• Denmark

Study Locations