Actions of bystanders in relation to gender and age (from 138 interviews)
| Action taken | Gender (n=138) | Age* (n=136) | |||
| Male | Female | <30 years | 30–60 years | >60 years | |
| % (n) | % (n) | % (n) | % (n) | % (n) | |
| 39.9% (55) | 60.1% (83) | 9.6% (13) | 55.9% (76) | 34.6% (47) | |
| Positioning | |||||
| Position supine, firm surface | 47.3% (26) | 27.7% (23) | 69.2% (9) | 48.7% (37) | 6.4% (3) |
| Clothes removed from chest | 21.8% (12) | 20.5% (17) | 38.5% (5) | 27.6% (21) | 6.4% (3) |
| Position not suitable for CCs: RP | 25.5% (14) | 18.1% (15) | 23.1% (3) | 19.7% (15) | 21.3% (10) |
| Position not suitable for CCs, other than RP | 27.3% (15) | 54.2% (45) | 7.7% (1) | 31.6% (24) | 72.3% (34) |
| CC quality | |||||
| CCs observed, effective† | 20.0% (11) | 12.0% (10) | 23.1% (3) | 23.7% (18) | 0.0% (0) |
| CCs observed, not effective† | 14.5% (8) | 8.4% (7) | 15.4% (2) | 15.8% (12) | 2.1% (1) |
| CCs not observed, but reported† | 14.5% (8) | 18.1% (15) | 15.4% (2) | 15.8% (12) | 19.1% (9) |
| CCs started‡ | 49.0% (27) | 38.5% (32) | 53.9% (7) | 55.3% (42) | 21.2% (9) |
| No CCs | 50.9% (28) | 61.4% (51) | 46.2% (6) | 44.7% (34) | 78.7% (37) |
Association between ‘gender’ and ‘position’: p=0.016 (Fisher’s exact test).
Association between ‘gender’ and ‘CC quality’: p=0.332 (Fisher’s exact test).
Association between ‘age’ and ‘position’: p<0.001 (Kruskal-Wallis test).
Association between ‘age’ and ‘CC quality’: p<0.001 (Kruskal-Wallis test).
*Data for age missing for n=2.
†As assessed by the first EMS vehicle on scene.
‡Sum of ‘CCs observed, effective’, ‘CCs observed, not effective’, ‘CCs not observed, but reported’.
CC, chest compression; RP, recovery position.