Bridging the gender gap for World First Aid Day
- St John Ambulance Australia national survey reveals gender disparities in first aid abilities.
- Significantly less women than men are trained and confident to administer first aid.
On World First Aid Day – September 9 – St John Ambulance Australia is taking the opportunity to spark a crucial conversation about gender equality in life-saving knowledge.
Recent data reveals men are outpacing women in important skills of first aid preparedness.
The statistics are stark: women are more likely than men to express doubt in providing first aid assistance.
Compared to 43 per cent of men, 63 per cent of women report feeling not confident in offering first aid during a health or medical emergency.
As a result, men are more likely than women to have provided first aid during a health or medical emergency, with a notable 57 per cent compared to 44 per cent.
These disparities extend to CPR and defibrillation, with 69 per cent of men comfortable administering CPR if needed, but only 61 per cent of women sharing the same sentiment.
A similar trend is observed when it comes to defibrillator knowledge, with 59 per cent of men claiming know-how compared to 42 per cent of women.
This can be related to lower levels of first aid training among women.
In fact, only 32 per cent of women have undertaken first aid training in the past three years compared to 41 per cent of men, highlighting an urgent need to close this gap.
World First Aid Day serves as a reminder of the pivotal role first aid plays in saving lives or gaining precious minutes of additional life while waiting for an ambulance.
St John, in its mission towards a future where everyone is adequately equipped to respond effectively during emergencies, is working to make first aid training more accessible for those of all backgrounds, abilities, ages, and genders.
St John WA is offering up to 20 per cent off popular courses booked in September for Word First Aid Day.
To find out more or to book a course – go to stjohnwa.com.au/first-aid-training/first-aid-sale
