Racial and ethnic disparities in the provision of bystander CPR after witnessed out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in the United States

Abstract

ObjectiveTo evaluate the association between race/ethnicity and the odds of receiving bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (bCPR) after witnessed out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). MethodsFor this cross-sectional retrospective study, data were obtained from the National Emergency Medical Services Information System database for adults (≥18 years) with a witnessed non-traumatic OHCA in the year 2021. Patients were separated into two groups including Black/Hispanic and White. The primary outcome was the odds of receiving bCPR. We excluded traumatic etiology, do-not-resuscitate orders, and arrest in a healthcare facility or wilderness location. Multiple logistic regression controlling for known covariates was utilized and analyses were stratified by public versus non-public location, median household income, and rural, suburban, or urban setting. ResultsA total of 64,007 witnessed OHCAs were included. When compared to White, the Black/Hispanic group were younger (62 vs 67 years) and more often female (40% vs 33%), in neighborhoods with the lowest median household income (31% vs 13%) and in an urban setting (92% vs 80%). Overall, bystander CPR rates were 60% and 67% for the Black/Hispanic and White groups, respectively. Multiple logistic regression stratified by OHCA location found that the Black/Hispanic group had a decreased odds of receiving bCPR compared to the White group both in the home (adjusted OR [aOR] 0.77; 95% CI 0.74–0.81) and in public (aOR 0.69; 95% CI 0.64–0.76). This difference persisted throughout neighborhoods of different socioeconomic status and across the rural–urban spectrum. ConclusionsRacial/ethnic disparities exist for Black and Hispanic persons in the odds of receiving bCPR after a witnessed non-traumatic OHCA regardless of public or private setting, neighborhood income level, or population density.