title: Basic life support skills: assessment and education of spouse and first degree relatives of patients with coronary disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the knowledge of basic cardiac life support (BCLS) before and after the institution of training among first degree relatives and spouses of patients with coronary disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Quasi-experimental study.
  
  
  METHODS
  National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Karachi, from April 2007 to May 2008.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 300 relatives of patients with coronary heart disease undertook a one day CPR course. Questionnaire assessing knowledge of CPR was administered before and after the course. Patients were studied in groups of 10-20 at a time. Proportion of correct knowledge was compared using chi-square test with significance at p < 0.05.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean age of participants was 31.08+10.53 years. Two hundred and twenty (73.34%) were males. On the average for all 31 questions, 37.09% of participants had correct responses before the training and 68.16% after the training of BCLS (p < 0.001). There was statistically significant improvement across all age groups, gender and educational levels (p < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was significant improvement in relatives' knowledge of BCLS after training. Different age groups, both genders and all educational groups showed equal learning abilities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Adult Cardiology/Cardiac Electrophysiology, National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Karachi. javaidarifkhankhan@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Javaid Arif
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: Azam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shafquat
authors.forename: Asadullah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kundi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D016887:Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation / Q000193:education*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000628:therapy*; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018454:Spouses / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult