Women are less likely to receive bystander CPR
That’s the message from the Resuscitation Council UK, which is why DocBike are including mannequins with breasts in their BikerDown and other motorcycle courses that include first aid.
Women have lower survival rates at each stage of cardiac arrest care, and reasons for this include:
- People don’t recognise cardiac arrest in women as easily
- There’s discomfort or fear about touching a woman’s chest
- There’s fear of accusations of inappropriate touching
In 2024, the St John Ambulance ran a CPR Bra campaign featuring Chelsea FC women’s captain, Millie Bright, sharing the message “it’s OK to save my life” to tackle gender disparity in CPR. One in three men are afraid to give CPR to a woman in public. Their message is simple:
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chest exposure may be necessary
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saving a life comes first
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gender should never delay CPR
Guidance from the Resuscitation Council UK is very direct:
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Rescuers should not be concerned about exposing the chest when applying defibrillator pads.
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Life-saving treatment must be prioritised
The early application of a defibrillator (AED) can be lifesaving, but it requires the removal of clothing, including a bra, to be effective. DocBike are very keen to join the numerous organisations calling for bystanders to have confidence to remove clothing in order to provide women with the same chance of survival from a cardiac arrest through the early application of an AED and effective CPR whilst awaiting ambulance arrival.
More information about CPR in women, including the use of a defibrilator can be found on the St John Ambulance website here.