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. 2020 Aug 20;15(8):e0237751. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0237751

Table 1. Answers given to the first aid questions and scenarios.

First aid questions and scenarios Cologne (n = 504) Munich (n = 499)
1 Did you have to admit first aid previously? n % n %
  Yes 172 34,1 159 31,9
  No 332 65,9 340 68,1
2 If yes, how was your reaction to this situation?    
  A. I knew what to do but others were faster 26 5,2 17 3,4
  B. I knew what to do and helped as well as possible 121 24,0 107 21,4
  C. I was unsure, but tried to help as well as I could 23 4,6 28 5,6
  D. I did not know what to do and therefore did not help 2 ,4 0 0,0
  E. No answer 332 65,9 347 69,5
3 What is the European emergency number    
  A.112 445 88,3 390 78,2
  B. 19222 16 3,2 46 9,2
  C. 110 38 7,5 59 11,8
  D. 116117 2 ,4 3 ,6
  E. No answer 3 0,6 1 ,2
4 What has to be done if a person does not react anymore, but is still breathing normally?    
  A. Bring into abdominal position 6 1,2 13 2,6
  B. Bring into side position 469 93,1 451 90,4
  C. Start with reanimation 11 2,2 13 2,6
  D. Do not move- just leave the person lying there 14 2,8 21 4,2
  E. Don't know 4 ,8 1 ,2
5 How often are you supposed to press per minute during cardiac massage of an adult    
  A. 10 times 119 23,6 172 34,5
  B. 30 times 240 47,6 213 42,7
  C. 60 times 104 20,6 86 17,2
  D. 100 times 30 6,0 24 4,8
  E. Don't know 2 ,4 4 ,8
  No answer 9 1,8  
6 Where do you have to press during cardiac massage?    
  A. On the heart 52 10,3 51 10,2
  B. Between the nipples 317 62,9 298 59,7
  C. In the middle of the thorax 68 13,5 96 19,2
  D. On the upper third of the sternum 57 11,3 50 10,0
  E. Don't know 10 2,0 4 ,8
7 A 49-year-old employee becomes unconscious in his office; normal breathing cannot be detected. What would you do?    
  A. Emergency call, wait for the specialists 30 6,0 50 10,0
  B. Emergency call, cardiac massage, better no mouth-to-mouth resuscitation 31 6,2 29 5,8
  C. Emergency call, cardiac massage and mouth-to-mouth resuscitation 10:2 193 38,3 211 42,3
  D. Emergency call, cardiac massage and mouth-to-mouth resuscitation 30:2 224 44,4 187 37,5
  E. Don't know 25 5,0 22 4,4
  No answer 1 0,2  
8 His colleague administers first aid through cardiopulmonary resuscitation. After a short time, a further colleague brings an automated external defibrillator (AED). What would you do?    
  A. I do not know how the AED functions- better won't use it. 35 6,9 46 9,2
  B. I have never heard anything about a AED 25 5,0 20 4,0
  C. Switch AED on and follow instructions 379 75,2 365 73,1
  D. I have heard something about an AED, but I do not know for what you use it. 13 2,6 13 2,6
  E. Don't know 51 10,1 55 11,0
  No answer 1 0,2  
9 If a person has a heart attack, where would he or she feel pain most likely?    
  A. In the breast 466 92,5 466 93,4
  B. In the lower stomach region 5 1,0 7 1,4
  C. In the legs 3 ,6 7 1,4
  D. Don't know 29 5,8 19 3,8
  No answer 1 0,2    
10 A 45 year old man has an asthma attack, What would you do?        
  A. Help the person to sit in a comfortable and upright position and take his medication 304 60,3 145 29,1
  B. Help the person to sit in a comfortable and upright position and breathe in a paper bag 91 18,1 70 14,0
  C. Tell the person to do some stretching exercises and walk around the block 5 1,0 30 6,0
  D. Let the person breathe in and out deeply and get a glass of water to drink 65 12,9 153 30,7
  E. Don't know 38 7,5 100 20,0
  No answer 1 0,2 1 ,2
11 An 80-year-old woman chocked on something. What would you do?    
  A. Encourage her to breathe through her nose 52 10,3 57 11,4
  B. Help wash the foreign object down with water 100 19,8 91 18,2
  C. Hit the woman hard on the back between the shoulder blades 309 61,3 318 63,7
  D. Don't know 42 8,3 33 6,6
  No answer 1 0,2  
12 A 25-year-old man has a seizure. What would you do to help?    
  A. Stuff something into his mouth 53 10,5 71 14,2
  B. Hold him tight 88 17,5 81 16,2
  C. Make sure he doesn't hurt himself 322 63,9 296 59,3
  D. Don't know 40 7,9 48 9,6
  No answer 1 0,2 3 0,6
13 A 30-year-old woman is unconscious, but still breathing. What can you do to maintain the airways    
  A. Roll the woman on the side and tilt her head back. 380 75,4 413 82,8
  B. Place the woman on her belly and tilt her head back 8 1,6 9 1,8
  C. Make sure nothing blocks the nose 84 16,7 46 9,2
  D. Don't know 31 6,2 31 6,2
  No answer 1 0,2