Abstract Sun1303: Empowering Hearts to Save Lives: Impact of an Interactive Public Education Campaign During American Heart Month

Abstract

Introduction: Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is a leading cause of death in the United States, with approximately 356,000 out-of-hospital cases annually. Despite its prevalence, bystander CPR is provided in only about 40% of cases (1) and AEDs are used in approximately 10% of public SCAs (2). This gap in response contributes to persistently low survival rates. Increasing public awareness and readiness to respond through training and community engagement is critical to improving outcomes. Goals: The Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation (SCAF) launched a focused one-month public awareness campaign, Empowering Hearts to Save Lives , aimed at increasing awareness of SCA, promoting CPR and AED training, and fostering interactive community engagement. The campaign took place in February 2024 (American Heart Month) and sought to provide accessible toolkits and resources, guide their use through an overview webinar, and leverage partnerships to amplify reach. It also aimed to motivate action and increase engagement. Methods: The campaign featured daily social media posts with with facts, statistics, educational resources, survivor story videos, and specific calls to action. A campaign kickoff webinar introduced the toolkit and shared strategies to activate it. Analytics were collected via Google Analytics and platform insights. SCAF also partnered with the National Athletic Trainers’ Association, participating in a virtual media briefing on SCA to further expand campaign reach. Results/Data: Compared to the same one-month period the previous year, Facebook engagement rose 29% and comments increased 49%. Social media followers grew by 276, with Instagram and LinkedIn impressions up 29% and 16%, respectively. Website visits exceeded 22,000. Interactive elements resulted in 115 quiz completions, wide resource sharing, and photo challenge participation. The webinar had over 140 registrants (80+ live attendees) and additional YouTube views. Partners and allies incorporated the campaign into their own outreach. Conclusion: A concise, collaborative public awareness campaign emphasizing interactivity and strategic partnerships can drive increased engagement and readiness to act in SCA emergencies. Ongoing efforts should continue to prioritize practical tools, clear calls to action, and scalable delivery to increase CPR and AED use and improve survival. 1 – CPR Facts&Stats, AHA: CPR Facts and Stats | American Heart Association CPR&First Aid 2 – AED Fact Sheet, AHA: AED Fact Sheet - SDW