Factors Predicting the Intention to Perform Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Automated External Defibrillators among Community Volunteers: A Cross-Sectional Study

Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is a major public health concern in Thailand. Despite the wider availability of automated external defibrillators, bystander use remains low. Understanding the factors predicting community volunteers’ intention to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation and to use it is essential for improving emergency response capacity. This cross-sectional study aimed to analyze factors predicting the intention to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation and to use automated external defibrillators among community volunteers in an urban district in Bangkok, Thailand. Purposive sampling, a non-probability sampling method, was employed to recruit 120 community volunteers. Data were collected between April and May 2024 using structured questionnaires comprising six sections: the Participant Characteristics, the CPR and AEDs Knowledge Test, the Attitudes towards CPR and AEDs Assessment, the Subjective Norms for CPR and AEDs Assessment, the Perceived Behavioral Control for CPR and AEDs Assessment, and Intention to Perform CPR and Use AEDs Assessment. Data were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression. Results revealed that 72.5% of participants reported a high intention to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation and to use automated external defibrillators, while 90% had no prior experience performing these procedures. Attitude towards cardiopulmonary resuscitation and automated external defibrillators, and subjective norms were statistically significant predictors of intention. The logistic regression model correctly classified 74.2% of intention outcomes. The findings highlight the importance of enhancing volunteers’ positive attitudes and strengthening community social support. Nurses can enhance readiness and confidence in performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation and using automated external defibrillators among community volunteers.