Effectiveness of Video-Based Automated External Defibrillator Training: Six-Month Follow-Up in Schoolchildren

Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is a leading cause of death. Schools provide an opportunity for school-based automated external defibrillator (AED) training; however, comparative evidence on the medium-term effectiveness of different instructional formats for AED-specific operational skills in children is limited. The aim was to compare the immediate acquisition and 6-month retention of simulated AED-use performance between video-based and traditional lecture-based instruction in schoolchildren aged 6 to 16 years. A longitudinal quasi-experimental study was conducted with three measurement points (before training (T0), immediately after training (T1), and at 6 months (T2)). Classroom-based natural group allocation assigned 134 students to a traditional 10-min lecture (Control Group, CG) and 129 to a short instructional video (Experimental Group, EG). Outcomes included safe shock delivery within 2 min, time to shock, electrode placement accuracy, technical quality (error-free execution), and procedural errors. Chi-square tests with Gamma and Cramer’s V coefficients and a three-way repeated-measures ANOVA (Time × Group × Age) were performed. At T1, 89.6% and 83.7% (in CG and EG, respectively) achieved the defibrillation objective ( p = .164). At T2, the rates increased to 94.6% ( p = .942). Technical quality decreased substantially in both groups at T2 compared to T1. No statistically significant differences were observed between groups for any outcome at T1 or T2. Video-based AED training produced simulated AED-use performance comparable to traditional lecture-based instruction in schoolchildren, with no statistically significant differences observed between groups. However, technical quality declined significantly in both groups after 6 months, highlighting the need for periodic refresher training.