JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

One of the primary challenges in Brazil is the difficulty in incorporating cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training into the school curriculum. This integration is essential for equipping children with life-saving skills but faces various obstacles.Initiatives like Kids Save Lives Brazil (KSLB) require sponsorship and support from regulatory bodies to be effectively implemented. Without this backing, such programs struggle to gain traction and reach a wider audience. There is a pressing need for community activities focused on CPR teaching. These activities are crucial for spreading knowledge and improving outcomes in the Brazilian population, yet they are often underfunded or lack organization.Socioeconomic factors significantly impact the quality of education and resources available for CPR training. Private school students often perform better than their public school counterparts, indicating disparities in educational quality that can hinder effective training. The Brazilian Education Development Index (IDEB) shows that private schools consistently outperform public schools. This difference in educational quality can lead to unequal access to CPR training and knowledge among students from different backgrounds.These challenges highlight the complexities involved in enhancing CPR training and awareness among schoolchildren in Brazil, necessitating a multifaceted approach to overcome them.

Objective:

To evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of using a serious game (SG) to improve knowledge, psychomotor skills, and perceptions regarding basic life support (BLS) training among Brazilian schoolchildren.

Methods:

This observational cohort study involved 336 students from 20 schools (10 public, 10 private), divided into two cohorts by age: 7–10 years and 11–17 years. Participants completed gamified resuscitation training as part of the Kids Save Hearts Project. The study measured chest compression quality (compression rate and depth) and knowledge acquisition through pre- and post-training assessments.

Results:

Older students (11–17 years) demonstrated superior compression depth (48 mm vs. 37 mm; p < 0.001) and overall chest compression quality (QCPR score: 84 vs. 42; p < 0.001) compared to younger students. Knowledge acquisition significantly improved in both cohorts post-training (p < 0.001). No significant gender or school type differences were observed

Conclusions:

Serious games are an effective, scalable tool to integrate CPR training into Brazilian school curricula. This approach holds promise for increasing out-of-hospital cardiac arrest awareness and fostering life-saving skills among young populations. Clinical Trial: CAAE: 57160121400005496