Cost-effectiveness of cardiopulmonary resuscitation training programs.

A model is presented to analyze the cost-effectiveness of programs to train large numbers of citizens in the techniques of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). From a planner's estimates of certain key factors, the model determines the probability of intervention for various numbers of trained citizens and for several allocation strategies and patterns of population density. These key factors are the maximum distance from which a person with CPR training could intervene in an emergency, the cost of training, and loss of skill with time. The model is used to analyze possible training efforts in Houston, Texas.