The effect of Basic Life Support (BLS) education on secondary school students’ willingness to and reasons not to perform BLS in real life

Abstract

Objectives The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a skill-focused BLS course on secondary school children’s self-reported willingness to and reasons not to perform BLS in real life and the relation of this willingness with simulated BLS performance.Methods 313 secondary school children (133 girls and 180 boys, age 12-18 years) constituting 18 classes received a standardized 50-min BLS course by their physical education teacher. Course content was delivered through the reciprocal peer learning model with iPads as instructional tools. Before and after the BLS course, children completed a questionnaire regarding their willingness and fear to perform BLS.Results About 50% of the children reported they would perform BLS on a family member or friend. 10% reported they would perform BLS on strangers. There were no significant differences before and after the course, except for boys who showed a significant increase in willingness to perform BLS on family members from 49% to 58%, P= 0.01. ‘Being unable’ as a reason for not performing BLS decreased significantly after the course as well as girls’ fear to perform mouth-to-mouth ventilation, P< 0.01. A significant positive correlation was found between the students’ willingness to perform BLS at pretest and their BLS performance, P= 0.02.Conclusion Children’s willingness to and reasons not to perform BLS in real life were largely unaffected by a skill-focused BLS course. Future research should investigate how the willingness to perform BLS can be increased and fears reduced during BLS courses in order to increase bystander BLS.