title: Limited public ability to recognise and understand the universal sign for automated external defibrillators.
abstract: To study if the public is able to recognise and understand the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) sign for automated external defibrillators (AEDs), and to explore how national resuscitation councils have adopted the sign.
  
  
  
  A survey was conducted among travellers in an international airport serving 21 million passengers annually. Participants were asked to state the meaning of six international safety signs, one of which was the ILCOR AED sign. Also, all national resuscitation councils forming ILCOR were contacted to determine whether they recommend the ILCOR AED sign and the existence of national legislation regarding AED signage.
  
  
  
  In total, 493 travellers (42 nationalities) were included. Correct identification of the ILCOR AED sign was achieved by 39% (95% CI 35% to 43%). Information on AED signage was obtained from 41 of 44 (93%) national resuscitation councils; 26 councils (63%) recommended the use of the ILCOR AED sign. In two countries, the ILCOR AED sign was mandatory by law.
  
  
  
  There is limited public recognition and understanding of the ILCOR AED sign. The ILCOR AED sign is not unanimously recommended by national resuscitation councils worldwide. Initiatives promoting public awareness of AEDs are warranted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia, Regional Hospital of Randers, Randers, Denmark Research Centre for Emergency Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark Institute of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
authors.forename: Rasmus
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Aagaard
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
authors.forename: Erik Lerkevang
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-1466-0865
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Grove
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
authors.forename: Ronni
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mikkelsen
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wolff
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
authors.forename: Kirstine Würtz
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Iversen
authors.affiliation: Research Centre for Emergency Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark Institute of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark Department of Internal Medicine, Regional Hospital of Randers, Randers, Denmark.
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Løfgren
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D059028:Airports; D001364:Awareness; D002648:Child; D032882:Comprehension; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D047548:Defibrillators; D004554:Electric Countershock / Q000295:instrumentation*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D008123:Location Directories and Signs; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D058687:Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest / Q000628:therapy*; D021641:Recognition, Psychology; D012151:Resuscitation / Q000295:instrumentation*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014195:Travel; D055815:Young Adult