A study has shown that first aid dummies not having breasts are affecting women's health.
According to The Guardianthe study looked at global manikin models that had been made for adult cardiopulmonary resuscitation training. The study was led by Dr. Rebecca Szabo, the lead of the Gandel Simulation Service at the Royal Women's Hospital in Melbourne, Australia.
Researchers found that while all 20 different manikins had flat torsos, only one model had breasts, highlighting issues of human right to health,
Per Australian research published in Resuscitation Journal in June, women suffering from cardiac arrest were less likely to receive CPR. This, therefore, meant that women were less likely to survive.
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Per The Guardiana St. John Ambulance October survey in the UK also found that women suffering cardiac arrest in public were less likely than men to receive CPR from people. This was because of the “worry about touching their breasts.”
“Unequal outcomes for women after cardiac arrest may start in CPR training and CPR manikin design related to implicit bias,” the study read.
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After Szabo couldn't find CPR manikins with breasts to train staff in performing life support for pregnant women suffering from cardiac arrest, the doctor decided to carry out research.
“In the end we purchased a chest plate with breasts online,” Szabo told The Guardian“It's similar to what a drag queen would wear and goes on like a singlet. We put that on our manikin for training.”
CPR compressions are the same in both men and women, Szabo explained, adding that training on both male and female mankinis “may help people feel more comfortable … being confronted with a bra, breasts and something different” in real life.
“Our study shows despite this little has changed in diversity of available CPR training manikins globally,” Szabo continued. “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.”
CPR training providers and manufacturers are being urged to improve the diversity of CPR training manikins.
“It 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,” Professor Bronwyn Graham, the national director of the Center for Sex and Gender Equity in Health and Medicinetold The Guardian of Szabo's study.
Graham continued, “Without such policies, these often insidious biases remain, and we will continue to put the lives of women and girls, and other marginalized sex and gender groups (including those with variations in sex characteristics, trans, and gender-diverse people ) at risk of harm on a daily basis.”