Key result
BLS training improves resuscitation knowledge ~47% and reduces anxiety in inherited arrhythmia caregivers.
Why the study?
Children with cardiomyopathies and inherited arrhythmia syndromes are predisposed to cardiac arrest, but the impact of an arrhythmia-tailored basic life support workshop on caregiver knowledge and short-term anxiety was unclear.
Does a brief, caregiver-focused BLS workshop improve knowledge and reduce anxiety in caregivers of children with cardiomyopathies or inherited arrhythmia syndromes?
Does a brief, caregiver-focused BLS workshop improve knowledge and reduce anxiety in caregivers of children with cardiomyopathies or inherited arrhythmia syndromes?
A brief, targeted BLS and AED training workshop significantly improved resuscitation knowledge and reduced state anxiety among caregivers of children at high risk for sudden cardiac arrest.
Supports targeted BLS training for caregivers of children with inherited arrhythmia syndromes; extends limited evidence but leaves open effects on resuscitation outcomes.
Introduction Cardiomyopathies (CMs), as well as primary electrical disorders, i.e., inherited arrhythmia syndromes (IAS), including long-QT syndrome, catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia, and Brugada syndrome, predispose children to malignant ventricular arrhythmias and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest; survival depends on rapid Basic Life Support (BLS) and early automated external defibrillator (AED) use. We evaluated whether a brief, caregiver-focused, arrhythmia-tailored BLS workshop improves knowledge and affects short-term state anxiety. Materials and methods The study included 12 caregivers of children with cardiac conditions who participated in BLS training. The study was conducted in three stages: a pre-test (entry survey), intervention (lecture and practical training), and post-test (exit survey). Knowledge was assessed using custom questions based on the ERC 2025 guidelines, and anxiety levels were measured with the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Statistical analysis was performed using Wilcoxon, Mann-Whitney U, and Kruskal-Wallis tests. Results The mean knowledge score increased from 5.3 ± 1.0 before training to 7.8 ± 1.0 after training (T = 0.0; p = 0.002). The most significant improvement was observed in practical aspects of resuscitation, such as the compression-to-breath ratio during pediatric CPR. Anxiety levels, measured using STAI-X1, decreased after the training, and the difference was statistically significant (T = 5.5; p = 0.009). Conclusions BLS training effectively improves the knowledge of caregivers of children with IAS, which may enhance their competence in emergency situations involving sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). Further research in a larger group is needed to determine the impact of regular and repeated BLS training on long-term knowledge retention, as well as on anxiety levels and quality of life among families of children with CM or IAS.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Dabrowska et al. (2026) studied Caregivers of children with cardiomyopathies or inherited arrhythmia syndromes (n=12). Basic Life Support (BLS) training vs. Pre-training baseline was evaluated on Mean knowledge score (assessed via 10-question survey) (p=0.002). Basic Life Support training significantly improved the mean resuscitation knowledge score of caregivers of children with inherited arrhythmia syndromes from 5.3 to 7.8 (p=0.002) and reduced state anxiety.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: