Knowledge, Training Status and Willingness to Implement Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation of Medical University Students in Chongqing, China

Timely bystander Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) is key to improving survival from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Medical university students are potential bystander CPR providers. This study aimed to identify the current level of CPR knowledge, the present status of training and factors affecting the willingness to perform CPR among medical university students in Chongqing, China. Random sampling method was used and a total of 1159 medical university students were included in this study. A self-administered structured questionnaire was used, which included: Demographic characteristics, basic CPR knowledge, CPR training experience, variables of the Theory of Planned Behavior and willingness to implement CPR. The data were analyzed using x2 test and multivariate logistic regression analysis. The respondents' mean CPR knowledge score was 3.19±1.81 (total of 6 points). Forty-eight point one percent of the respondents had received CPR training and 85.2% said they were willing to participate in CPR training. In case of cardiac arrest, 49.9% of respondents were willing to perform CPR. It was found that respondents with CPR training experience, high CPR knowledge level, high Subjective Norm (SN) scores, high Attitude towards the Behavior (AB) scores and high Perceived Behavioral Control (PBC) scores were more willing to perform CPR. It is necessary to incorporate CPR courses into medical universities' compulsory curriculum to increase the willingness to implement CPR.