Gender bias in CPR training leads to fewer women receiving aid in emergencies

A study of over 300,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests revealed that women are 14 percent less likely than men to receive CPR from a stranger, a shortfall tied to bystander unease with female bodies. The root cause is the widespread use of flat-chested, androgynous manikins that mirror male anatomy, despite the fact that about 95 percent of commercially available models remain gender-neutral. Experts point to three main hesitations: fear of inappropriate contact, concern about causing injury, and misreading a woman's collapse as fainting.

Efforts by the American Heart Association, the European Resuscitation Council and others aim to introduce anatomically accurate female dummies, and a MassCPR trial found that training on a breast-retrofit dummy increased comfort. A survey of 133 training organizations across 43 countries reported that only a fifth possessed a purpose-built female manikin, with many resorting to makeshift solutions like adding a bra. New commercially available female models from companies such as Prestan are now sold through the American Red Cross Store, but broader adoption remains limited.