TV CPR portrayals often misrepresent current guidance

A University of Pittsburgh study published in Circulation: Population and Outcomes found that fewer than 30% of TV scenes showed hands-only CPR correctly, while many still depict older practices such as mouth-to-mouth and pulse checks.

A study from the University of Pittsburgh found that television often portrays bystander CPR in ways that differ from current recommendations. The paper, published in Circulation: Population and Outcomes, is the first systematic look at how TV shows depict hands-only CPR since the American Heart Association endorsed that approach in 2008. Researchers analyzed a sample of 169 TV episodes that included hands-only CPR scenes. They report substantial gaps between on-screen depictions and contemporary guidance. What the study found: - Fewer than 30 percent of the 169 TV scenes featuring hands-only CPR showed the procedure correctly. - Nearly half of scenes still included older practices such as mouth-to-mouth resuscitation (48 percent) and pulse checks (43 percent). - On-screen victims skewed younger and were shown mostly in public places, while real cardiac-arrest victims are older on average (about 62) and most arrests occur at home (about 80 percent). - Most depicted recipients on TV were white men; the study notes real-world disparities in who receives bystander CPR and flags this as an area for further study. Summary: The researchers say that inaccurate TV portrayals can shape public perceptions about who experiences cardiac arrest and where it happens, which could affect whether people view CPR training as relevant. They suggest collaboration between media creators and public health experts and recommend further research to clarify whether depictions reflect or influence real-world behavior.