Community cardiopulmonary resuscitation training in Greece.

There is a lack of information about the status and characteristics of community cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training in Greece. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the knowledge of basic aspects of CPR practice, characteristics of training, and areas in need of improvement to increase CPR competence in the community. Using a random-digit-dialing telephone survey, 390 residents of a large county were interviewed. Weighting methods were used to estimate population statistics. Results indicated a low prevalence of current training and lack of basic CPR knowledge, reflecting the limited extent of and access to training. Results suggest the need for a standardized, widespread CPR program.