YouTube Health launches video series for first aid and emergencies

Steven Loeb · January 11, 2024 · Short URL: https://vator.tv/n/57c6

Mass General Brigham, the Mexican Red Cross, and the American Heart Association produced the videos

Most people have no training, or expertise, on what to do in a medical emergency: a survey from the American College of Emergency Physicians and Morning Consult showed that over 75% of adults in the United States feel prepared to communicate with 911 operators in an emergency, but only 55% said they feel prepared to provide CPR. Even fewer felt prepared to apply a tourniquet to control severe bleeding, move a victim to safety, or use an automatic external defibrillator.

Of course, sometimes people need to be able to help before the paramedics arrive, and so YouTube Health has partnered with Mass General Brigham, the Mexican Red Cross, and the American Heart Association (AHA) to create a series of videos with the goal of helping people quickly find first aid information without need to read or listen to complex instructions. 

"The first aid information shelves are part of YouTube Health’s mission to provide accessible high quality health content and resources," YouTube Health told VatorNews.

"YouTube Health developed the shelves to make it easier to find step-by-step explainer videos for basic first aid and emergency care made by authoritative health organizations."

The videos will be pinned to the top of search results for health topics including CPR, choking/heimlich, bleeding, heart attack, stroke, seizure, and opioid overdose.  So far, Mass General Brigham, Mexican Red Cross, and the AHA have created and produced videos on how to perform CPR, how to stop bleeding, and how to help someone who is overdosing

YouTube Health also worked with the AHA to publish a CPR course, which is available for free and is aimed at helping people without a medical background who want to learn hands-only CPR or who need to refresh their skills.

First aid information health shelves are first launching in the U.S. in English and Spanish, and the company says that additional countries and languages will be coming soon, along with other healthcare topics. 

"We worked with our partners – MGB, Mexican Red Cross, and AHA – to determine an initial set of acute first aid topics, and we’ll continue to collaborate with them on opportunities to expand," YouTube Health said. 

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