Considering the few studies evaluating bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) performance, we sought to analyze differences in bystander CPR performance with and without the use of our self-developed animated GIFs based on dispatcher-assisted CPR simulation.

A total of 80 adults who had not received CPR training over the past two years participated in the study. Among them, 40 people were classified into the auditory group (receiving CPR instructions only over the phone), and the other 40 people were classified into the audiovisual group (receiving CPR instructions over the phone after receiving images on a smartphone). All participants were asked to perform adult and infant CPR for 2 min. CPR performance was recorded using two video cameras (front and side) and analyzed by two emergency physicians, whereas CPR quality was measured using Resusci Anne & Baby QCPR Mk II (Laerdal).

In the adult CPR study, the audiovisual group had higher performance scores for adequacy of “knee position,” “hand posture,” “elbow extension,” and “vertical compression,” as well as higher Standard Posture Completeness and Instruction Performance scores (p < 0.001). No significant difference in CPR quality was observed between the two groups. In the infant CPR study, audiovisual group had higher performance scores in adequacy of “compression site,” “finger posture,” and “vertical compression,” as well as higher Standard Posture Completeness and Instruction Performance scores (p < 0.001). Regarding CPR quality, the audiovisual group had higher scores for “adequate compression rate ratio” (p = 0.047).

Audiovisual guidance using animated GIFs more effectively improved CPR Standard Posture Completeness and Instruction Performance than did traditional auditory guidance.