Determinants of Provision of Bystander Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation among the General Public in Oman

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine the factors that affect the provision of bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) among the general public in Oman. METHODS: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study performed over a two-month period from November to December 2018 using a questionnaire among the general public with no medical background. RESULTS: A total of 1,080 individuals were included in the study. The median age of the participants was 27 (20–39) years old with 624 (57.8%) male participants. More than half of the participants (52.9%) were willing to perform CPR on a stranger. Lack of knowledge of CPR and a fear that they might cause more harm were the main reasons precluding people from performing CPR. Age, educational status and having attended a CPR course were predictors of willingness to perform CPR. CONCLUSION: There is a positive attitude towards bystander CPR in Oman among the general public. More education and training opportunities should be made available in workplaces and educational institutions.