Abstract
Background Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is a major emergency that requires immediate intervention, and the willingness of bystanders to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) plays a crucial role in improving patient survival. This study aimed to investigate the factors associated with the willingness to perform bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (BCPR) in the immediate post-COVID-19 pandemic context. Method A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted among 215 hospital non-clinical personnel employed at Konkuk University Medical Center in 2023. Data were analyzed using multiple linear regression to identify key predictors of willingness to perform BCPR. Results The findings indicated that willingness to perform CPR was lowest when the victim was a trauma patient and highest when the victim was a family member. Contrary to expectations, fear of infectious disease transmission did not significantly deter CPR willingness. Instead, concern about potentially harming the victim emerged as a major psychological barrier. Factors positively associated with increased willingness to administer BCPR included prior CPR training, higher self-reported confidence in CPR performance, and female gender. Conclusion In light of the ongoing and possibly recurring nature of infectious disease outbreaks, it is imperative to develop multifaceted public health strategies aimed at enhancing public readiness to perform CPR. Improving CPR education, addressing psychological barriers, and reinforcing the importance of bystander intervention are essential to improving OHCA survival rates and optimizing health system preparedness and community resilience.