• Hendrika W Meischke, Thomas D Rea, Mickey S Eisenberg, and Sharon M Rowe.
• Department of Health Services, University of Washington, Seattle, USA.
• Heart Lung. 2002 Jan 1; 31 (1): 25-9.

ObjectiveBy decreasing the time to defibrillation, automated external defibrillators (AEDs) provide an opportunity for lay people to improve survival in out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrest. We examined how beliefs, expectations, and actual performance are related to intentions to use an AED during a future heart emergency among a group of seniors.Design And Outcome MeasuresOne hundred fifty-nine seniors who had been previously trained in the operation of an AED were tested on their AED skills and asked about their perceptions regarding their AED skills; their expectations that an AED would save the life of a cardiac arrest victim; and their intentions to use an AED during a future cardiac event.ResultsLogistic regression analyses showed that greater self-perceived ability to use an AED better actual performance on skills assessment but not expectations regarding the efficacy of AED treatment were independently associated with positive intentions to use an AED in a future heart emergency.ConclusionsThe likelihood that an elderly lay bystander will actually use an AED during a cardiac event may be closely tied to perceptions of his or her ability to operate an AED.

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