Learning CPR On Manikins Without Breasts Puts Women's Lives At Risk: Study

Learning CPR compression techniques on manikins without breasts contributes towards women being less likely to receive life-saving first aid from bystanders, a study conducted by Australian researchers found. For the study, researchers at the Royal Women's Hospital in Melbourne analysed 20 different manikin models in the global market designed for adult cardiopulmonary resuscitation training. They found that all the manikins had flat torsos, with only one model having a breast overlay. Eight were identified as male, while seven had no gender specified. 

The study highlights the findings as an equity issue with implications for the human right to health, the study authors said, per The Guardian. They urged CPR training providers and manufacturers to commit to improving the diversity of CPR training manikins. 

"Governments, manufacturing companies, training bodies and those of us procuring and using these important training products all play an important role to address this important issue that may improve outcomes for women," said study lead Dr Rebecca Szabo. This aligned with the aims of the National Women's Health Advisory Council, chaired by Australia's assistant minister for health, Ged Kearney, "to tackle 'medical misogyny'," on a range of key concerns including cardiovascular disease, she added. 

According to the outlet, Ms Szabo is the lead of the Gandel Simulation Service at the Royal Women's Hospital in Melbourne and an obstetrician and gynaecologist. She revealed that she embarked on her research after she could not find any CPR manikins with breasts to train healthcare workers in life support for maternal cardiac arrest in pregnancy. 

"In the end we purchased a chest plate with breasts online," she said, explaining, "It's similar to what a drag queen would wear and goes on like a singlet. We put that on our manikin for training."

According to Ms Szabo, the CPR compression technique is no different for women and training on manikins representing both sexes "may help people feel more comfortable ... being confronted with a bra, breasts and something different" in a real-life emergency. Breasts may also influence how defibrillator pads are applied, especially if there are breast implants or larger breasts, she said.

"Our study is the first of its kind to name this as a gender and human rights issue linking this to business human rights and the commercial determinants of health," Ms Szabo continued. 

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The study "highlights the critical need for regulatory bodies at all stages of the health and medical pipeline - from fundamental research through to the tools used to educate healthcare providers - to have policies that mandate consideration of sex and gender," said Professor Bronwyn Graham, the national director of the Centre for Sex and Gender Equity in Health and Medicine opened in March by The George Institute for Global Health. 

"Without such policies, these often insidious biases remain, and we will continue to put the lives of women and girls, and other marginalised sex and gender groups (including those with variations in sex characteristics, trans, and gender-diverse people) at risk of harm on a daily basis," she added.