Objective : Cases of cardiac disease and deaths due to cardiac disease are increasing worldwide. Cardiac arrest is difficult to predict and emergency treatment and report to by the one who first saw the patient is critical in survival rate of the patient. In order to increase survival rate of cardiac arrest patient, cardiopulmonary resuscitation by the first reactor and early defibrillation is very important. However, in Korea, performance of cardiopulmonary resuscitation by the first reactor is drastically lower than that in advanced countries and cases of early defibrillation performed by non-experts is only a few. Thus this study attempted to provide basic reference for active use of Automated External Defibrillator (AED) and effective propagation of cardiopulmonary resuscitation by studying knowledge and attitude in AED of undergraduates who can be the first witness to active cardiac arrest.

Methods: Subjects of this study were 349 students in 6 majors related to health care in D university located in Daejeon and who understood the purpose of this study and agreed in participation. Collection of data was done from June 9th, 2014 to July 15th, 2015.

To measure Awareness, knowledge, and attitude on AED, an attitude measuring tool was devised after revising American Heart Association Guidelines (AHA, 2010), Korea Association of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Guidelines (2011), Awareness of AED by Sunmi Jin(2013), questions for attitude toward cardiopulmonary resuscitation by Munhee Lee (2005). Collected data was analyzed in descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson’s correlation coefficient, hierarchical multiple regression analysis, using SPSS Win 20.0 program.

Result:
1. In knowledge of the subjects on AED, respiration of the patient must be checked after defibrillation showed 27.9% of correct answers and AED pads for adults cannot be used on a infant showed 28.7% of correct answers, which are the lowest.
2. Attitude of subjects on AED showed an average of 3.71 in total, and in detail, necessity of education on AED was 4.02 in average, willingness of usage, 4.02, confidence of performing, 2.99.
3. Knowledge of subjects on AED depending on general traits showed statistically significant difference, depending on age, grade, major, and interest in AED. Also attitude on AED showed significant difference, depending on major, health status, interest in health, interest in CPR.
4. In disparity in level of knowledge on AED depending on awareness of the subject, it showed statistically significant disparity, depending on awareness of AED, experience of seeing AED, usage of AED, and experience of AED education. Also in disparity in level of attitude on AED, it showed statistically significant disparity, depending on awareness of AED, experience of seeing AED, usage of AED, and education experience of AED.
5. Knowledge and attitude of the subjects on AED showed positive relevance.
6. Knowledge of the subjects on AED showed explanatory power of 65% and gender, religion, grade, interest in health, interest in CPR, experience of seeing AED, experience of AED education, and confidence in using AED was found to be influential in the subjects’ knowledge on AED. Attitude of the subjects on AED showed explanatory power of 45% and interest in health, interest in CPR, experience of seeing AED, and experience of AED education was found to be influential in the subjects’ attitude on AED.

Conclusions: As for factors that influence knowledge and attitude of health care major undergraduates on AED, experience of education was found to be most influential. To heighten knowledge and attitude of health care major undergraduates, development and application of a systemic education program on AED is mandatory.

Key Words: Automated External Defibrillator(AED), Knowledge, Attitude, Health Care majors