Survey shows more Americans prepared to perform CPR in cardiac emergencies

When someone's heart stops pumping, early CPR can save their life. New survey research from the American Heart Association reveals more Americans are prepared to provide that lifesaving rhythm for their friends, family and community.

The newly released data, conducted by Decision Analyst on behalf of the American Heart Association, indicates more U.S. adults now say they feel ready to handle and respond to a cardiac arrest. When Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field during Monday Night Football in January of 2023, nearly seven out of every ten U.S. adults said they would not feel confident to act during a cardiac emergency. Based on the available data at the time, and tracking attitudes since, the Association has since seen a reported increase from 33% to 39% in bystander confidence to be able to perform any type of CPR -- or 17.7 million more Americans feeling confident to act in the event of a lifesaving emergency.

Today, more than 350,000 cardiac arrests occur outside of hospitals in the United States annually. Nearly three out of four of those cardiac arrests happen in homes. Tragically, 90% of the time, these incidents prove fatal. The American Heart Association, a global force devoted to changing the future in pursuit of healthier lives for all, mobilized its Nation of Lifesavers™ movement in 2023 with a goal to double survival rates from sudden cardiac arrest for everyone, ensuring more people at home, work, school and even online have learned lifesaving CPR skills.

In celebration of American Heart Month, in February, the Association is encouraging more people to commit to becoming lifesavers and join us in changing the future of health for everyone everywhere.

Our strategy is working. This increase in confidence to perform CPR is confirmation and represents not only the success in our awareness and education efforts, but more importantly, the additional lives saved when someone with training responds in an emergency. Cardiac arrest can affect anyone, regardless of age or health - even the youngest among us are not immune. Be ready when it matters most."

Nancy Brown, CEO of the American Heart Association

Each year, more than 23,000 children experience this life-threatening event. Of those, nearly 20% of cases are in infants and 40% of cases are related to sports activities. Unlike in adults and teens, CPR for children and infants requires rescue breaths, a critical component for saving young lives. To ensure every family is prepared, the Association has released an updated Infant and Child CPR Anytime® kit, available in English and Spanish, and new instructional video to make learning these lifesaving skills easier and more accessible.

"The skill and confidence to respond when it matters most, to save a child's life, is something every adult should have," said Keith Churchwell, M.D., FAHA, American Heart Association volunteer president and an associate clinical Professor of Medicine at Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut and adjunct Associate Professor of Medicine at the Vanderbilt School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee. "Whether a parent, neighbor, classmate, coach, or caregiver, almost all of us have children that are part of our lives. Preventing a tragedy begins with being prepared. Knowing how to perform CPR, use an AED, and recognize the signs of a medical emergency can make all the difference. Empowering more people with these lifesaving skills is critical to changing the future of health for everyone, everywhere."

For adults and teens, Hands-Only CPR, using only chest compressions, can also be as effective as traditional CPR in the first few minutes of emergency response. If a teen or adult suddenly collapses, witnesses should immediately call 9-1-1 and begin chest compressions at a rate of 100-120 beats per minute and a depth of approximately two inches.

"Learning Hands-Only CPR is a simple yet powerful act that can save lives and turn bystanders into lifesavers," Brown said.

The Association offers several ways for individuals to learn CPR and join the Nation of Lifesavers:

1. Watch online. Learn the basics of Hands-Only CPR or CPR with rescue breaths and share it on social media with #NationofLifesavers. Hands-Only CPR has just two simple steps, performed in this order: 1) Call 911 if you see a teen or adult suddenly collapse; and 2) Push hard and fast in the center of the chest to the beat of a familiar song that has 100 to 120 beats per minute.
2. Learn at home. Learn basic lifesaving skills in about 20 minutes from the comfort and privacy of home with the CPR Anytime^® kits. The Infant CPR Anytime program is for new parents, grandparents, babysitters, or anyone who wants to learn lifesaving infant CPR and choking relief skills. The Adult & Child CPR Anytime Training kit teaches adult/teen Hands-Only CPR, child CPR with breaths, adult and child choking relief and general awareness of automated external defibrillators - or AEDs. CPR Anytime now includes the Adult & Child CPR Anytime Interactive app to provide a comprehensive, self-facilitated training solution in one web-based app that allows students to elevate their CPR and AED training experience through gamification.
3. Learn in virtual reality. The American Heart Association CPR VR ultimate immersive experience in lifesaving is available at no cost in Meta's App Store. The award-winning experience, which can be launched in English or Spanish, teaches and provides Hands-Only CPR practice and the steps of using an AED using Meta Quest headsets.
4. Take an in-person course. Join a nearby class or get a group together to attend and learn the lifesaving skills of CPR, first aid and AED. Encourage others by sharing on social media with #NationofLifesavers.
5. Turn your workplace into a lifesaving hub. Commit to employee CPR training and implement workplace cardiac emergency response plans.

Additionally, the Association advocates for public policies at the federal and state levels that help reduce deaths from cardiac arrest in schools. Children who experience cardiac arrest at schools are seven times more likely to survive if there is an AED available. The bipartisan HEARTS Act, which was signed into law late last year, creates a federal grant program for schools to provide CPR training, purchase automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and create cardiac emergency response plans (CERPs). The Association urges Congress to fund the HEARTS Act and is working to pass policies in all 50 states that require schools and school athletic facilities and venues to develop and implement CERPs.

To learn more or find training, visit heart.org/nation.

The CPR perceptions survey was conducted by Decision Analyst on behalf of the American Heart Association. The online study was conducted in 2024 among 1,266 nationally representative U.S. men and women aged 18 to 80.