ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the appropriate age of primary and secondary school students for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training.Methods A total of 437 students aged 9-15 years at 3 to 6 grade in the primary schools or 1 to 2 grade in the secondary schools were selected from 2 Yuyao primary and secondary schools by stratified random sampling between March 2017 and January 2018.The numbers of students with the age of 9,10,11,12,13,14 and 15 y were 61,62,66,64,63,63 and 58,respectively.All students received chest compression training provided by Yuyao emergency department People's Hospital according to the 2015 Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Guidelines.The training included 30 min theoretic teaching and 6 min practice in the simulator.The quality of chest compression performed by students was assessed;the depth,rate,position and retention of chest compression were recorded.Results The mean depth of chest compression in the students aged 9-15 years was 3.8,4.1,4.6,5.1,5.2,5.6 and 5.6 cm,respectively;the accuracy rate was 24.6％(14/61),25.8％ (16/62),50.2％ (33/66),70.5％ (45/64),79.4％(50/63),88.9％(56/63) and 91.4(53/58),respectively.Compared with the students aged 9-11 years,the mean depth of chest compression was significantly increased and accuracy rate was significantly improved in the students aged 12-15 years (Compared with 9-y students,t=-8.936,-9.502,-10.640 and-11.370;x2=35.019,47.599,63.013 and 65.671;compared with 10-y students,t=-6.927,-8.179,-10.70 and-11.047;x2=24.977,35.967,50.916 and 52.727;compared with 1 1-y students,t=-3.095,-4.177,-6.785 and-6.995;x2=5.586,12.114,22.786 and 24.870;all P＜0.05).The mean rate of chest compression was 110-116/min and its accuracy rate was 86.4％-95.2％;the accuracy rate of chest compression position was 90.9％-96.8％ in all students,there were no significant differences among the 7 groups.The mean retention rate of chest compression in the 7 groups was 81.3％(122/150),67.3％(101/150),64.7％ (94/150),48.0％(72/150),48.7％(73/150),33.3％(50/150) and 27.3％(41/150),respectively.Compared with the students aged 9-11 years,the mean retention rate of chest compression was significantly decreased in the students aged 12-15 years (compared with the 9-y students,x2=36.472,35.179,70.64 and 119.92;compared with 10-y students,x2=11.483,10.728,34.682 and 72.150;compared with 11-y students,x2=6.528,5.927,25.855 and 59.11;all P＜0.05).Correlation analysis showed that the depth (r=0.96,0.89,0.91 and 0.86;P＜0.01) and retention rate (r=-0.99,-0.90,-0.93 and-0.86;all P＜0.01) of chest compression were significantly associated with the age,body weight,height and body mass index of students.Conclusion The students with an age of 12 years or more are able to effectively perform chest compression;thus,12 years and above might be the appropriate age for CPR training.