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Description
Abstract: The purpose of this study was to develop an instrument measuring the strength of factors influencing the acquisition of AED training. The instrument development process included: item generation interviews, a pilot test, a reliability sample, and data analysis. A total of 210 residents of Cache Valley, Utah, participated. Reliability and validity were tested with Cronbach's alpha, regression analysis, and factor analysis. Cronbach's alpha was 0.952, and R-square was 0.769. From factor analysis three main components were identified. The instrument demonstrated validity and reliability. Researchers may use the instrument to determine the strongest factor's influencing intention to obtain AED training.
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Despite improvements in technology and a trend toward educating the society about healthier lifestyles, sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is one of the leading causes of death in the United States (Ramaswamy & Page, 2003). Annually, 350,000 people have an out-of-hospital episode of cardiac arrest (Joglar & Page, 2002). Under the current emergency system, the survival rate of cardiac arrest victims is estimated to be less than 5% (Valenzuela et al., 2000). Clearly, the present system is not adequate in maximizing a victim's chances of survival, and changes need to be implemented to provide better emergency care.
Approximately 85% of SCA victims experience ventricular tachyarrhythmias, which can be corrected only through rapid defibrillation (Joglar & Page, 2002). Defibrillation is administered by an automated external defibrillator (AED); a person cannot perform defibrillation without a machine. As survival chances decrease 10% each minute defibrillation is delayed, timely defibrillation is the most important factor for a victim's chances of survival (Konoza, 1999).
The national average response time for emergency vehicles is twelve minutes, simply too long for the victim to have a chance to survive (Larsen, 2002). As a remedy, the American Heart Association (AHA) advocates the Public Access Defibrillation (PAD) program. In the PAD program nontraditional first responders and trained laypersons operate the AED. Several studies, most notably the recent PAD Trial (Hallstrom et al., 2004), confirm the safety and success of public use of AEDs (Caffrey, 2002; Valenzuela et al., 2000).
To further the PAD program more AED trained individuals are needed. However, no studies have focused on investigating the most effective method of procuring individuals for training or the factors that are predictive of individuals obtaining AED training. Identifying and measuring the strength of those factors would aid health educators to design tailored and more effective health promotional efforts aimed at AED training acquisition.
The primary purpose of... |
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