Effects of Anxiety on Family Members of Patients with Cardiac Disease Learning Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation.

Sigsbee M, Geden EA Heart Lung 1990 Vol 19 Pages 662-665

Family members of cardiac patients have been identified as a high-risk group needing CPR instruction. The effects of anxiety on learning cardiopulmonary resuscitation by family members of patients with cardiac disease was examined. 50 subjects (34 female and 16 male) ranging in age from 14-70 years, participated. 17 family members of hospitalized patients, 12 family members of non-hospitalized patients, and a control group of 21, all took Heartsaver CPR training. All subjects were asked their reasons for attending. The predominant reasons were to increase knowledge, to help someone, to help a family member, or to meet a work qualification. These reasons were not evenly distributed across the groups, but not surprisingly, the majority of family members listed the desire to help someone or specifically to help a family member. In testing, 2 control subjects failed the written exam and did not take the performance tests. 48 of 50 participants completed the performance tests. Subjects also took the State Anxiety Inventory three times: immediately before training, immediately after performance testing, and 2 months after completion of training. As expected, family members of hospitalized patients had significantly higher before-program anxiety than both other groups. This difference was not present after training or two months later. The authors feel that the study supports the contention that family members of hospitalized patients with cardiac disease can learn CPR, and that their anxiety level is not so high as to interfere with learning. They conclude that CPR training should be routinely offered to these family members as they are the first line of defense for a group of people who are at high risk of needing this intervention.