Determinants of Public's Intention to Assist Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Victims: A Regional Survey

Eka Yulia Fitri (Emergency-Critical Care Division, Nursing Department, Medical Faculty, Universitas Sriwijaya)
Dhona Andhini (Emergency-Critical Care Division, Nursing Department, Medical Faculty, Universitas Sriwijaya)
Hikayati Hikayati (Emergency-Critical Care Division, Nursing Department, Medical Faculty, Universitas Sriwijaya)
Ulfa Nur Rohmah (Medical-Surgical Division, Nursing Department, Medical Faculty, Universitas Sriwijaya)

Nurse Media Journal of Nursing
Vol 16, No 2 (2026): (August 2026) [In Progress]

Background: Early cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) substantially improves survival after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). However, the proportion of OHCA victims receiving CPR from the public remains low in Asia, ranging from 10% to 40%. Although several factors associated with the public’s intention to assist OHCA victims have been identified, evidence from Indonesia remains limited, particularly among community-based populations.Purpose: This study aimed to identify factors associated with the public’s intention to assist out-of-hospital cardiac arrest victims in South Sumatra, Indonesia. Methods: A four-month cross-sectional survey guided by the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) was conducted among 433 residents from 17 regencies and municipalities in South Sumatra using a two-stage sampling approach. Trained enumerators collected data using a structured questionnaire based on TPB constructs with acceptable validity and internal consistency. Intention to assist OHCA victims was assessed as a binary (yes/no) outcome based on participants’ self-reported responses. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with this intention.Results: Among all participants, 64.9% expressed an intention to assist OHCA victims, whereas 15.2% reported previous CPR experience. Multivariable analysis showed that previous experience of encountering an OHCA victim (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.89, 95% CI: 1.32–6.30, p = .008), positive attitudes (aOR = 3.37, 95% CI: 1.81–6.28, p = .001), high subjective norms (aOR = 2.09, 95% CI: 1.07–4.06, p = .030), willingness to attend CPR training (aOR = 3.62, 95% CI: 2.11–6.20, p = .001), and high perceived behavioral control (aOR = 3.94, 95% CI: 2.32–6.71, p = .001) were significantly associated with the intention to assist OHCA victims. High perceived behavioral control showed the strongest association.Conclusion: High perceived behavioral control was the strongest factor associated with the intention to assist OHCA victims. These findings support nursing-led, community-based CPR education strategies that strengthen confidence, promote positive attitudes and supportive social norms, and expand access to hands-on CPR training.