Miss Misery

Outdated CPR training is putting women’s lives at risk. Women who suffer cardiac arrest outside hospital are significantly less likely to survive than men, and one overlooked reason is that CPR training almost never accounts for female anatomy. A Duke University analysis across 47 U.S. states found women are 14% less likely to receive bystander CPR. In the UK, the gap is similar: only 68% of women get CPR from bystanders compared to 73% of men, with many people citing fear of inappropriate touching or concern about injuring a woman’s chest. The problem is compounded by the tools we train on. A global survey revealed that roughly 95% of CPR manikins are designed with flat chests; only one widely available model includes visible breasts. As a result, most trainees never practice the slight technique adjustments needed for women and often hesitate in real emergencies. Research published in the Journal of Emergency Medical Services offers hope: when trainees used manikins equipped with realistic silicone breasts, they were almost twice as likely to feel confident performing chest compressions on a woman. Experts say updating training manikins to represent both male and female anatomy could eliminate hesitation, close the gender survival gap, and save thousands of lives.

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