Posted on 03/04/2015

Harris Interactive national survey documents significant increases in locations where the American public expects lifesaving equipment to be found when sudden cardiac arrest strikes

PHILADELPHIA, PA--CardioReady, a leader in helping organizations prevent fatalities from sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), today announced the results of the second annual installment of a national survey, which it commissioned Harris Interactive to conduct. The February 2015 results confirm large increases in Americans' expectations regarding the presence of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in a broad array of locations.

The survey polled a representative sample of the U.S. population and concluded that in 76% of the location categories, more than half of all Americans expect AEDs to be readily available.  The results document a dramatic increase in expectations versus a prior benchmark survey completed 14 months ago.   

Expectations increased across all location categories with more than half of all categories posting double digit increases. Some of the most significant changes were in the following sectors:

 - Banks/Credit Unions      

33% increase

 - Grocery Stores                 

25% increase

 - Retail Stores                    

21% increase

 - Workplace                       

19% increase

 - Restaurants                     

18% increase

Other notable findings show that:

  • More than 4 in 5 Americans expect to find AEDs in airports and fitness clubs 
  • Approximately 3 in 5 Americans expect to find AEDs in hotels, offices / office buildings, shopping malls, theatres / entertainment venues, and factories 
  • 2 in every 5 Americans expect to find AEDs at restaurants, retail stores, golf courses, grocery stores, and banks / credit unions.

"Sudden cardiac arrest is a leading cause of death in the United States. Outside of the hospital, use of an onsite AED represents a victim's only hope for survival in the vast majority of cases," said Dr. Kevin Campbell, Chief Medical Officer of CardioReady. "I find it encouraging that the Harris survey results indicate a greater awareness of the utility and importance of AEDs in public places. It is my hope that as a society, we can build upon this and make meaningful progress to reducing the more than half a million SCA deaths that take place in our country each year."   

"We are certainly seeing heightened demand for AEDs across virtually all sectors, as organizations move to protect their employees, customers, and members. The Harris results should provide AED adopters with further confirmation that their efforts have been well placed," said John Ehinger, CEO of CardioReady. "Safety matters – certainly from the human perspective – and from a pragmatic business point of view. The survey results confirm a continuing shift in what is required to satisfy employees and customers and meet their expected standard of care. More importantly, the survey points to a growing awareness about SCA and a recognition that onsite cardiac safety preparations are easier and more practical than ever before. We hope that this data will help others as they consider modernizing their efforts to safeguard all those who frequent their sites."

SOURCE: CardioReady

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