Breakable Barriers: The Impact of Teaching Hands-Only CPR Within Marginalized Communities

Area of Science:

• Community Health
• Medical Education
• Health Equity

Background:

• Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) affects over 350,000 Americans annually, with bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) rates at 40%, showing significant disparities.
• Minority communities and women are less likely to perform CPR during OHCA, often due to fear or lack of knowledge, highlighting critical gaps in health equity.
• Existing barriers to CPR training include financial constraints and geographical inaccessibility, limiting widespread adoption of life-saving skills.

Purpose of the Study:

• To address disparities in bystander CPR rates among minority communities by implementing a community-based CPR training initiative.
• To overcome barriers to CPR training, such as cost and location, through a sustainable, student-led program.
• To foster trust and empower diverse communities with life-saving CPR skills.

Main Methods:

• Physician assistant (PA) students participated in the Coronary By-Physician Assistant Students (Coronary By-PASs) initiative, a program focused on teaching hands-only CPR.
• The program was designed to be accessible, overcoming financial and geographical barriers to training.
• Community engagement strategies were employed to build trust and ensure inclusivity, including the use of diverse training manikins.

Main Results:

• The Coronary By-PASs program successfully trained diverse community members, many of whom had no prior CPR experience.
• The initiative fostered a sense of inclusion and trust, as evidenced by participant feedback regarding diverse training materials.
• The program evolved into a sustainable, student-led project with a lasting impact on future cohorts and community empowerment.

Conclusions:

• The Coronary By-PASs initiative demonstrates a successful model for bridging healthcare gaps and improving health equity through community-based CPR training.
• Student-led initiatives can effectively empower communities with vital health skills, fostering trust and promoting health equity.
• The program's success underscores the importance of accessible, inclusive training in advancing healthcare equity and saving lives.