Only 47 percent trust themselves to revive someone by heart massage and artificial respiration. This is shown by a representative forsa survey commissioned by CosmosDirekt.
Willingness was slightly higher among men overall, at 53 percent, than among women, at 41 percent. Among 18- to 29-year-olds, 54 percent said they would be able to perform one of these first-aid techniques correctly in an emergency. Among 30- to 44-year-olds, that was 55 percent. The 45- to 59-year-olds were significantly less self-confident. Here, only 49 percent answered in the affirmative. If the respondents were 60 years and older, the value even shrank to 37 percent.
"Any help is better than no help," says Frank Barnhof, insurance expert at CosmosDirekt: "If the injured person has a cardiac arrest, his or her chances of survival increase considerably if cardiac massage and ventilation are performed."Whoever arrives first at the scene of the accident is obliged to help. He does not have to be afraid of doing something wrong in the process. "Those who have done their best don't have to fear negative consequences."Before first aid is given, it is essential to secure the accident site and notify the emergency services.
But awareness is growing. "Germany no longer brings up the rear in Europe when it comes to resuscitation by laypeople," DGAI presidium member Jan-Thorsten Grasner told dpa. Nine years ago, the lay resuscitation rate was only 16 percent. In the past five years, he says, the rate has more than doubled.
In a European comparison, Germany is still only in the bottom third. Scandinavian countries fare best: In Norway, the lay resuscitation rate is 70 percent. That means in two-thirds of all cardiac arrests, first responders begin resuscitation efforts immediately.