ABSTRACT
Aim: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the knowledge and attitude of the community about basic life support (BLS) living in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. Furthermore, evaluation of the limitations of training on BLS skills was another study objective. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted between February 2018 and January 2019 in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. Three hundred seventy-two randomly selected individuals participated in the study. Their knowledge and attitude toward BLS was gathered through a questionnaire that got filled by interviewers. The only inclusion criteria were the age, the participant should have been at least 18 years old. Results: The average knowledge score of a participant was 2.02 (±1.4) out of 7, where males and Saudi participants had significantly better knowledge about BLS compared to females and non-Saudi. Furthermore, significantly small number of participants had cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training. However, their attitude was more positive and they were willing to receive CPR training. Conclusion: Attitude toward acquiring knowledge about CPR was very positive. However, their knowledge about the topic was insufficient. People should be aware of the importance of having this training and this can be done through media and social media. Knowledge about the availability of programs at nearby places can also help to motivate people.