Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: BackgroundEarly defibrillation is crucial in improving survival from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA).The presence and accessibility of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) are essential to community response to OHCA, yet their actual accessibility in real-world settings is often limited or poorly documented.Aim This study investigates AED placement and accessibility in the in the most populated urban areas of the Piedmont region, northern Italy. Materials and methodsPublicly available data from the Piedmont Region's AED portal were analysed, focusing on the 20 most populous urban areas, including key districts of Turin.The total population assessed was 1,409,955, representing 33.1% of the region's population.For each AED, we examined the location type (indoor/outdoor) and accessibility characteristics: 24/7 availability, and availability during evenings, weekends, and public holidays. ResultsA total of 594 AEDs were identified.8.2% of AEDs were located in public outdoor spaces.The majority (83.8%) were installed inside buildings, with 16.2% available 24/7.Moreover, 71.2% were not accessible after 8:00 p.m., 55.1% were unavailable on Saturdays, and 66.3% were inaccessible on Sundays and public holidays.Conclusion Despite a relatively high number of AEDs, their limited accessibility-particularly during evenings and weekends-poses a significant barrier to timely bystander defibrillation OHCA cases.These findings highlight the urgent need for policy and infrastructure changes to prioritise outdoor and 24/7-accessible AED placements in urban areas to strengthen the chain of survival.
Language: English
Subfield: Emergency Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,590
OpenAlex ID: W4416199328