Factors associated with return to work among survivors of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest

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BackgroundAlthough out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is a major cause of global mortality, survival rates have increased over the last decade. As such, there is an increasing need to explore long-term functional outcomes of survivors, such as return to work (RTW). MethodologyWe analysed baseline and 12-month follow-up data from the Victorian Ambulance Cardiac Arrest Registry for patients that arrested between 2010 and 2016 who were working prior to their arrest. We also conducted more detailed RTW interviews in a subset of OHCA survivors who arrested between July and September 2017. Factors associated with RTW were assessed using multivariable logistic regression analysis. ResultsA total of 884 previously working survivors were included in the analysis, 650 (73%) of whom RTW. Male sex (AOR 1.80; 95%CI: 1.10–2.94), arrests witnessed by emergency medical services (AOR 2.72; 95%CI: 1.50–9.25), discharge directly home from hospital (AOR 4.13; 95%CI: 2.38–7.18) and favourable 12-month health-related quality of life according to the EQ-5D were associated with RTW. Increasing age (AOR 0.97; 95%CI: 0.95–0.98), traumatic arrest aetiology (AOR 0.18; 95%CI: 0.04–0.77), and labour-intensive occupations (AOR 0.44; 95%CI: 0.29–0.66) were associated with decreased odds of RTW. Of the 23 OHCA survivors that participated in the more detailed RTW telephone-interview, 87% RTW. Flexible work hours or modified duties were offered to 74% of participants. Fatigue was the most frequently reported barrier to RTW. ConclusionThis is the largest study to collectively examine factors associated with RTW among survivors of OHCA. Although larger qualitative studies are needed, our findings highlight which patients are at risk of not RTW and who may benefit from targeted rehabilitation strategies.