Don't be afraid: save a life with CPR. Determinants of citizen's intention to participate in AED alert

Introduction: Ambulances do not always arrive on time, and AED enable civilians to start resuscitation in the meantime, increasing the victim’s chances of survival with up to 50%. It is therefore of vital importance that there is a sufficient number of civilian aid workers. The aim of this research is to obtain insight in the factors influencing (not) signing up for an AED Alert, a tool that alerts civilians to come to the rescue. Method: In this study, an online survey was used to gather data of 8522 respondents. Results: Results indicated that respondents express less Fear for CPR when they have a higher level of Self-efficacy toward CPR, compared to those with a lower level of Self-efficacy toward CPR. Fear inhibits the signing up for AED Alert. This relation is, however, mediated by the Attitude toward CPR. AED Awareness has a positive influence on the attitude toward signing up for AED Alert. The relations between factors of the Theory of Planned Behaviour were found in bivariate correlations, however in a confirmative regression analysis only the attitude and the subjective norms were significant predictors of the intention to sign up for AED Alert. Conclusion: Implications of the results are discussed.