Community disparities in out of hospital cardiac arrest care and outcomes in Texas

Community-level bystander treatment and outcomes for witnessed out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in the state of Connecticut

Background

Prior reports have demonstrated underutilization of bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automated external defibrillator (AED) use in patients with witnessed out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) in Connecticut. This study aimed to identify community-level risk factors that contribute to low rates of bystander intervention to improve statewide OHCA outcomes.

Methods

We analyzed 2,789 adult patients with witnessed, non-traumatic OHCA submitted to the Connecticut Cardiac Arrest Registry to Enhance Survival (CARES) between 2013-2022. Patients were grouped by zip code, and associated municipal characteristics were acquired from 2022 United States Census Bureau data. Use of bystander CPR, attempted bystander AED defibrillation, and patient survival with favorable neurological function were determined for 19 of the 20 most populous cities and towns. Pearson correlation tests and linear regression were used to determine associations between OHCA treatment and outcomes with population size, racial/ethnic demographics, language use, income, and educational level.

Results

Bystander CPR was lower in municipalities with population size > 100,000 and in communities where > 40% of residents are non-English-speaking. AED use was also lower in these municipalities, as well as those with per capita incomes < $40,000 or > 1/3 Hispanic residents. Communities with populations > 100,000, > 40% non-English-speaking, per capita income < $40,000, and > 1/3 Hispanic residents were all associated with lower survival rates.

Conclusions

OHCA pre-hospital treatment and outcomes vary significantly by municipality in Connecticut. Community outcomes might be improved by specifically targeting urban population centers and Hispanic communities with culturally sensitive, low, or no-cost CPR and AED educational programs, using instructional languages other than English.

Temporal Trends in Race and Sex Differences in Cardiac Arrest Mortality in the USA, 1999-2020

BACKGROUND

Cardiac arrest (CA) affects over 600,000 patients in the USA annually. Despite large-scale public health and educational initiatives, survival rates are lower in certain racial and socioeconomic groups.

METHODS

A county-level cross-sectional longitudinal study using death data of patients aged 15 years or more from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Wide-Ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (WONDER) database from 1999 to 2020. CAs were identified using the International Classification of Diseases, tenth revision, clinical modification codes.

RESULTS

The CA-related deaths between 1999 and 2020 were 7,710,211 in the entire USA. The annual CA related age-adjusted mortality rates (CA-MR) declined through 2019 (132.9 to 89.7 per 100,000 residents), followed by an increase in 2020 (104.5 per 100,000). White patients constituted 82 % of all deaths and 51 % were female. The overall CA-MR during the study period was 104.48 per 100,000 persons. The CA-MR was higher for men as compared with women (123.5 vs. 89.7 per 100,000) and higher for Black as compared with White adults (154.4 vs. 99.1 per 100,000).

CONCLUSIONS

CA-MR in the overall population has declined, followed by an increase in 2020, which is likely the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. There were also significant racial and sex differences in mortality rates.

Factors mediating community race and ethnicity differences in initial shockable rhythm for out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in Texas

BACKGROUND

Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients from minoritized communities have lower rates of initial shockable rhythm, which is linked to favorable outcomes. We sought to evaluate the importance of initial shockable rhythm on OHCA outcomes and factors that mediate differences in initial shockable rhythm.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective study of the 2013-2022 Texas Cardiac Arrest Registry to Enhance Survival (TX-CARES). Using census tract data, we stratified OHCAs into majority race/ethnicity communities: >50% White, >50% Black, and >50% Hispanic/Latino. We compared logistic regression models between community race/ethnicity and OHCA outcome: (1) unadjusted, (2) adjusting for bystander CPR (bCPR), and (3) adjusting for initial rhythm. Using structural equation modeling, we performed mediation analyses between community race/ethnicity, OHCA characteristics, and initial shockable rhythm.

RESULTS

We included 22,730 OHCAs from majority White (21.1% initial shockable rhythm), 4,749 from majority Black (15.3% shockable), and 16,054 majority Hispanic/Latino (16.1% shockable) communities. Odds of favorable neurologic outcome were lower for majority Black (0.4 [0.3-0.5]) and Hispanic/Latino (0.6 [0.6-0.7]). While adjusting for bCPR minimally changed outcome odds, adjusting for shockable rhythm increased odds for Black (0.5 [0.4-0.5]) and Hispanic/Latino (0.7 [0.6-0.8]) communities. On mediation analysis for majority Black, the top mediators of initial shockable rhythm were public location (14.6%), bystander witnessed OHCA (11.6%), and female gender (5.7%). The top mediators for majority Hispanic/Latino were bystander-witnessed OHCA (10.2%), public location (3.52%), and bystander CPR (3.49%), CONCLUSION: Bystander-witnessed OHCA and public location were the largest mediators of shockable rhythm for OHCAs from minoritized communities.

Health inequalities in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and use of automated electrical defibrillators in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest

Out of hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) outcomes can be improved by strengthening the chain of survival, namely prompt cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automated external defibrillator (AED). However, provision of bystander CPR and AED use remains low due to individual patient factors ranging from lack of education to socioeconomic barriers and due to lack of resources such as limited availability of AEDs in the community. Although the impact of health inequalities on survival from OHCA is documented, it is imperative that we identify and implement strategies to improve public health and outcomes from OHCA overall but with a simultaneous emphasis on making care more equitable. Disparities in CPR delivery and AED use in OHCA exist based on factors including sex, education level, socioeconomic status, race and ethnicity, all of which we discuss in this review. Most importantly, we discuss the barriers to AED use, and strategies on how these may be overcome.

Rural cardiac arrest care and outcomes in Texas

INTRODUCTION

Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) victims in rural communities have worse outcomes despite higher rates of bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) than urban communities. In this retrospective cohort study we attempt to evaluate selected aspects of the continuum of care, including post-arrest care, for rural OHCA victims, and we investigated factors that could contribute to rural areas having higher rates of bystander CPR.

METHODS

We analyzed 2014-2020 Texas Cardiac Arrest Registry to Enhance Survival (TX-CARES) data for adult OHCAs. We linked TX-CARES data to census tract data and stratified OHCAs into urban and rural events. We created a mixed-model logistic regression to compare cardiac arrest characteristics, pre-hospital care, and post-arrest care between rural and urban settings. We adjusted for confounders and modeled census tract as a random intercept. We then compared different regression models evaluating the association between response time and bystander CPR.

RESULTS

We included 1202 rural and 28,288 urban cardiac arrests. Comparing rural to urban OHCAs, rates of bystander CPR were significantly higher in rural communities (49.6% v 40.6%, aOR 1.3 95% CI 1.1-1.5). The median response time for rural (11.5 min) was longer than urban (7.3 min). The occurrence of an ambulance response time of <10 min was notably less common in rural communities when compared to urban areas (aOR 0.2, 95% CI 0.2-0.2). For post-arrest care the rates of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) were higher in rural than urban communities (aOR 1.7, 95% CI 1.01-2.8). The rates of AED and TTM were similar between urban and rural communities. Survival to hospital discharge was significantly lower in rural communities than urban communities (aOR 0.6, 95% CI 0.4-0.7). Although not significant, rural communities had lower rate of survival with a cognitive performance score (CPC) of 1 or 2 (aOR 0.7, 05% CI 0.6-1.003). We identified no association between response time and bystander CPR.

CONCLUSION

Patients in rural areas of Texas have lower survival after OHCA compared to patients in urban areas, despite having significantly greater rates of bystander CPR and PCI. We did not find a link between response time and bystander CPR rates.

Access to automated external defibrillators and first responders: Associations with socioeconomic factors and income inequality at small spatial scales

Aim

The 2021 European Resuscitation Council (ERC) guidelines recommend two automated external defibrillators (AEDs)/km2 and at least 10 first responders/km2. We examined 1) access to AEDs and volunteer first responders in line with these guidelines and 2) its associations with socioeconomic factors and income inequality, focusing on small spatial scales.

Method

We considered data on 776 AEDs in February 2022 and 1,173 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCAs) including 713 OHCA with app-alerted volunteer first responders from February to September 2022 in Berlin. We fit multilevel models to analyse AED area coverage and Poisson models to examine first responder availability across 12 districts and 536 neighbourhoods.

Results

Median AED area coverage according to the 2021 ERC guidelines was 43.1% (interquartile range (IQR) 2.3-87.2) at the neighbourhood level and median number of available first responders per OHCA case was one (IQR 0.0-1.0). AED area coverage showed a positive association with average income tax per capita, with better coverage in the highest compared to the lowest quartile neighbourhoods (coefficient: 0.13, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.01-0.25). First responder availability was not associated with income tax. AED area coverage and first responder availability were positively associated with income inequality, with better coverage (coefficient: 0.13, 95% CI: 0.04-0.23) and availability (rate ratio: 1.31, 95% CI: 1.03-1.67) in quartiles of highest as compared to lowest inequality.

Conclusion

Access to resuscitation resources is neither equitable nor in accordance with the 2021 ERC guidelines. Ensuring better access necessitates understanding of socioeconomic factors and income inequality at small spatial scales.

The American Heart Association Emergency Cardiovascular Care 2030 Impact Goals and Call to Action to Improve Cardiac Arrest Outcomes: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association

Every 10 years, the American Heart Association (AHA) Emergency Cardiovascular Care Committee establishes goals to improve survival from cardiac arrest. These goals align with broader AHA Impact Goals and support the AHA's advocacy efforts and strategic investments in research, education, clinical care, and quality improvement programs. This scientific statement focuses on 2030 AHA emergency cardiovascular care priorities, with a specific focus on bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation, early defibrillation, and neurologically intact survival. This scientific statement also includes aspirational goals, such as establishing cardiac arrest as a reportable disease and mandating reporting of standardized outcomes from different sources; advancing recognition of and knowledge about cardiac arrest; improving dispatch system response, availability, and access to resuscitation training in multiple settings and at multiple time points; improving availability, access, and affordability of defibrillators; providing a focus on early defibrillation, in-hospital programs, and establishing champions for debriefing and review of cardiac arrest events; and expanding measures to track outcomes beyond survival. The ability to track and report data from these broader aspirational targets will potentially require expansion of existing data sets, development of new data sets, and enhanced integration of technology to collect process and outcome data, as well as partnerships of the AHA with national, state, and local organizations. The COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic, disparities in COVID-19 outcomes for historically excluded racial and ethnic groups, and the longstanding disparities in cardiac arrest treatment and outcomes for Black and Hispanic or Latino populations also contributed to an explicit focus and target on equity for the AHA Emergency Cardiovascular Care 2030 Impact Goals.

Impact of Receiving Hospital on Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Outcome: Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Texas

Background Factors associated with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) outcome disparities remain poorly understood. We evaluated the role of receiving hospital on OHCA outcome disparities. Methods and Results We studied people with OHCA who survived to hospital admission from TX-CARES (Texas Cardiac Arrest Registry to Enhance Survival), 2014 to 2021. Using census data, we stratified OHCAs into majority (>50%) strata: non-Hispanic White race and ethnicity, non-Hispanic Black race and ethnicity, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity. We stratified hospitals into performance quartiles based on the primary outcome, survival with good neurologic outcome. We evaluated the association between race and ethnicity and care at higher-performance hospitals. We compared 3 models evaluating the association between race and ethnicity and outcome: (1) ignoring hospital, (2) adjusting for hospital as a random intercept, and (3) adjusting for hospital performance quartile. We adjusted models for possible confounders. We included 10 434 OHCAs. Hospital performance quartile outcome rates ranged from 11.3% (fourth) to 37.1% (first). Compared with OHCAs in neighborhoods of majority White race, those in neighborhoods of majority Black race (odds ratio [OR], 0.1 [95% CI, 0.1-0.1]) and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity (OR, 0.2 [95% CI, 0.2-0.2]) were less likely to be cared for at higher-performing hospitals. Compared with White neighborhoods (30.1%) and ignoring hospital, outcomes were worse in Black neighborhoods (15.4%; adjusted OR [aOR], 0.5 [95% CI, 0.4-0.5]) and Hispanic or Latino neighborhoods (19.2%; aOR, 0.6 [95% CI, 0.5-0.7]). Adjusting for hospital as a random intercept, outcomes improved for Black neighborhoods (aOR, 0.9 [95% CI, 0.7-1.05]) and Hispanic or Latino neighborhoods (aOR, 0.9 [95% CI, 0.8-0.99]). Adjusting for hospital performance quartile, outcomes improved for Black neighborhoods (aOR, 0.8 [95% CI, 0.7-1.01]) and Hispanic or Latino neighborhoods (aOR, 0.9 [95% CI, 0.8-0.996]). Conclusions In Black and Hispanic or Latino communities, OHCAs were less likely to be cared for at higher-performing hospitals, and adjusting for receiving hospital improved OHCA outcome disparities.

Sociodemographic factors associated with paediatric out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Paediatric out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (POHCA) is associated with poor survival and severe neurological sequelae. We conducted a systematic review on the impact of sociodemographic factors across different stages of POHCA.

METHODS

We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Web of Science from database inception to October 2022. We included studies examining the association between sociodemographic factors (i.e., race, ethnicity, migrant status and socioeconomic status [SES]) and POHCA risk, bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) provision, bystander automated external defibrillator (AED) application, survival (at or 30-days post-discharge), and neurological outcome. We synthesized the data qualitatively.

RESULTS

We screened 11,097 citations and included 18 articles (arising from 15 studies). There were 4 articles reporting on POHCA risk, 5 on bystander CPR provision, 3 on bystander AED application, 13 on survival, and 6 on neurological outcome. In all studies on POHCA risk, significant differences were found across racial groups, with minority populations being disproportionately impacted. There were no articles reporting on the association between SES and POHCA risk. Bystander CPR provision was consistently associated with race and ethnicity, with disparities impacting Black and Hispanic children. The association between bystander CPR provision and SES was variable. There was little evidence of socioeconomic or racial disparities in studies on bystander AED application, survival, and neurological outcome, particularly across adjusted analyses.

CONCLUSIONS

Race and ethnicity are likely associated with POHCA risk and bystander CPR provision. These findings highlight the importance of prioritizing at-risk groups in POHCA prevention and intervention efforts. Further research is needed to understand underlying mechanisms.

Outcomes after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in immigrants vs natives in Denmark

AIMS

Ethnic disparities subsist in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) outcomes in the US, yet it is unresolved whether similar inequalities exist in European countries. This study compared survival after OHCA and its determinants in immigrants and non-immigrants in Denmark.

METHODS

Using the nationwide Danish Cardiac Arrest Register, 37,622 OHCAs of presumed cardiac cause between 2001 and 2019 were included, 95% in non-immigrants and 5% in immigrants. Univariate and multiple logistic regression was used to assess disparities in treatments, return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) at hospital arrival, and 30-day survival.

RESULTS

Immigrants were younger at OHCA (median 64 [IQR 53-72] vs 68 [59-74] years; p < 0.05), had more prior myocardial infarction (15% vs 12%, p < 0.05), more diabetes (27% vs 19%, p < 0.05), and were more often witnessed (56% vs 53%; p < 0.05). Immigrants received similar bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation and defibrillation rates to non-immigrants, but more coronary angiographies (15% vs 13%; p < 0.05) and percutaneous coronary interventions (10% vs 8%, p < 0.05), although this was insignificant after age-adjustment. Immigrants had higher ROSC at hospital arrival (28% vs 26%; p < 0.05) and 30-day survival (18% vs 16%; p < 0.05) compared to non-immigrants, but adjusting for age, sex, witness status, first observed rhythm, diabetes, and heart failure rendered the difference non-significant (odds ratios (OR) 1.03, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.92-1.16 and OR 1.05, 95% CI 0.91-1.20, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

OHCA management was similar between immigrants and non-immigrants, resulting in similar ROSC at hospital arrival and 30-day survival after adjustments.

Racial and Ethnic Disparities in the Treatment and Outcomes for Witnessed Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest in Connecticut

BACKGROUND

Racial and ethnic disparities in the treatment and outcomes for witnessed out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) in the United States have been previously described. We sought to characterize disparities in pre-hospital care, overall survival, and survival with favorable neurological outcomes following witnessed OHCA in the state of Connecticut.

METHODS

We performed a cross-sectional study to compare pre-hospital treatment and outcomes for White versus Black and Hispanic (Minority) OHCA patients submitted from Connecticut to the Cardiac Arrest Registry to Enhance Survival (CARES) between 2013 and 2021. Primary outcomes included bystander CPR use, bystander automated external defibrillator (AED) use with attempted defibrillation, overall survival, and survival with favorable cerebral function.

RESULTS

2,809 patients with witnessed OHCA were analyzed (924 Black or Hispanic; 1885 White). Minorities had lower rates of bystander CPR (31.4% vs 39.1%, P=0.002) and bystander AED placement with attempted defibrillation (10.5% vs 14.4%, P=0.004), with lower rates of survival to hospital discharge (10.3% vs 14.8%, P=0.001) and survival with favorable cerebral function (65.3% vs 80.2%, P=0.003). Minorities were less likely to receive bystander CPR in communities with median annual household income >$80, 000 (OR, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.33 - 0.95; P=0.030) and in integrated neighborhoods (OR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.52 - 0.95; P=0.020).

CONCLUSIONS

Black and Hispanic Connecticut patients with witnessed OHCA have lower rates of bystander CPR, attempted AED defibrillation, overall survival, and survival with favorable neurological outcomes compared to White patients. Minorities were less likely to receive bystander CPR in affluent and integrated communities.

Racial Disparity in Outcomes of Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest (OHCA): A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Out-of-hospital Cardiac Arrest (OHCA) is the abrupt cessation of cardiac function outside of a hospital setting. With limited research into the presence of racial disparities among outcomes of OHCA patients, this systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted. PubMed, Cochrane, and Scopus were searched from inception to March 2023. This analysis includes a total of 53,507 black patients, and 185,173 white patients, resulting in the pooling of 238,680 patients in this meta-analysis. It was observed that the black population was associated with significantly worsened survival to hospital discharge (OR: 0.81; 95% CI: 0.68, 0.96, P = 0.01), return of spontaneous circulation (OR: 0.79; 95% CI: 0.69, 0.89, P = 0.0002), and neurological outcomes (OR: 0.80; 95% CI: 0.68, 0.93; P = 0.003) when compared to their white counterparts. However, there were no differences found with respect to mortality. To the best of our knowledge, this is the most comprehensive meta-analysis assessing racial disparities in OHCA outcomes that have never been explored before. Increased awareness programs, and greater racial inclusivity in the field of cardiovascular medicine is encouraged. Further studies are needed in order to arrive at a robust conclusion.

First Responder CPR and Survival Differences in Texas Minority and Lower Socioeconomic Status Neighborhoods

INTRODUCTION

First responder (FR) cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is an important component of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) care. However, little is known about FR CPR disparities.

METHODS

We linked the 2014-2021 Texas Cardiac Arrest Registry to Enhance Survival (TX-CARES) database to census tract data. We included non-traumatic OHCAs that were not witnessed by 9-1-1 responders and did not receive bystander CPR. We defined census tracts as having >50% of a race/ethnicity: White, Black, or Hispanic/Latino. We also stratified patients into quartiles based on socioeconomic status (SES): household income, high school graduation, and unemployment. We also combined race/ethnicity and income to create a total of five mixed strata, comparing lower income and minority census tracts to high income White census tracts. We created mixed model logistic regression models, adjusting for confounders and modeling census tract as a random intercept. Using the models, we compared FR CPR rates for census race/ethnicity (Black and Hispanic/Latino compared to White), and SES quartiles (2nd, 3rd, and 4th quartiles compared to 1st quartiles). Secondarily, we evaluated the association between FR CPR and survival for all strata.

RESULTS

We included 21,966 OHCAs, and 57.4% had FR CPR. Evaluating the association between census tract characteristic and FR CPR, majority Black (aOR 0.30, 95% CI 0.22-0.41) had a lower bystander CPR rate when compared to majority White. The lowest income quartile had a lower rate of bystander CPR (aOR 0.80, 95% CI 0.65-0.98). The worst unemployment quartile was also associated with a lower rate of FR CPR (aOR 0.75, 95% CI 0.61-0.92). Combining race/ethnicity and income, middle income majority Black (30.0%; aOR 0.27, 95% CI 0.17-0.46) and low income >80% Black (31.8%; aOR 0.27, 95% CI 0.10-0.68) had lower rates of FR CPR in comparison to high income majority White. There were no associations between Hispanic or lower high school graduation and lower rates of FR CPR. We found no association between FR CPR and survival for all three strata.

CONCLUSION

While we identified disparities in FR CPR in low SES and majority Black census tracts, we identified no association between FR CPR and survival in Texas.

Targeted Temperature Management After Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest: Integrating Evidence Into Real World Practice

Targeted temperature management (TTM) after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) has been a focus of debate in an attempt to improve post-arrest outcomes. Contemporary trials examining the role of TTM after cardiac arrest suggest that targeting normothermia should be the standard of care for initially comatose survivors of cardiac arrest. Differences in patient populations have been demonstrated across trials, and important subgroups may be under-represented in clinical trials compared with real-world registries. In this review, we aimed to describe the populations represented in international OHCA registries and to propose a pathway to integrate clinical trial evidence into practice. The patient case mix among registries including survivors to hospital admission was similar to the pivotal trials (shockable rhythm, witnessed arrest), suggesting reasonable external validity. Therefore, for the majority of OHCA, targeted normothermia should be the strategy of choice. There remains conflicting evidence for patients with a nonshockable rhythm, with no clear evidence-based justification for mild hypothermia over targeted normothermia.

Urban-suburb disparities in pre-hospital emergency medical resources and response time among patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: A mixed-method cross-sectional study

Aim

To investigate (1) the association between pre-hospital emergency medical resources and pre-hospital emergency medical system (EMS) response time among patients with Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA); (2) whether the association differs between urban and suburbs.

Methods

Densities of ambulances and physicians were independent variables, respectively. Pre-hospital emergency medical system response time was dependent variable. Multivariate linear regression was used to investigate the roles of ambulance density and physician density in pre-hospital EMS response time. Qualitative data were collected and analyzed to explore reasons for the disparities in pre-hospital resources between urban areas and suburbs.

Results

Ambulance density and physician density were both negatively associated with call to ambulance dispatch time, with odds ratios (ORs) 0.98 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.96-0.99; P = 0.001) and 0.97 (95% CI; 0.93-0.99; P < 0.001), respectively. ORs of ambulance density and physician density in association with total response time were 0.99 (95% CI: 0.97-0.99; P = 0.013) and 0.90 (95% CI: 0.86-0.99; P = 0.048). The effect of ambulance density on call to ambulance dispatch time in urban areas was 14% smaller than that in suburb areas and that on total response time in urban areas was 3% smaller than the effect in suburbs. Similar effects were identified for physician density on urban-suburb disparities in call to ambulance dispatch time and total response time. The main reasons summarized from stakeholders for a lack of physicians and ambulances in suburbs included low income, poor personal incentive mechanisms, and inequality in financial distribution of the healthcare system.

Conclusion

Improving pre-hospital emergency medical resources allocation can reduce system delay and narrow urban-suburb disparity in EMS response time for OHCA patients.

Disparities in Emergency Medical Services Care Delivery in the United States: A Scoping Review

BACKGROUND

Emergency medical services (EMS) often serve as the first medical contact for ill or injured patients, representing a critical access point to the health care delivery continuum. While a growing body of literature suggests inequities in care within hospitals and emergency departments, limited research has comprehensively explored disparities related to patient demographic characteristics in prehospital care.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to summarize the existing literature on disparities in prehospital care delivery for patients identifying as members of an underrepresented race, ethnicity, sex, gender, or sexual orientation group.

METHODS

We conducted a scoping review of peer-reviewed and non-peer-reviewed (gray) literature. We searched PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science, Proquest Dissertations, Scopus, Google, and professional websites for studies set in the U.S. between 1960 and 2021. Each abstract and full-text article was screened by two reviewers. Studies written in English that addressed the underrepresented groups of interest and investigated EMS-related encounters were included. Studies were excluded if a disparity was noted incidentally but was not a stated objective or discussed. Data extraction was conducted using a standardized electronic form. Results were summarized qualitatively using an inductive approach.

RESULTS

One hundred forty-five full-text articles from the peer-reviewed literature and two articles from the gray literature met inclusion criteria: 25 studies investigated sex/gender, 61 studies investigated race/ethnicity, and 58 studies investigated both. One study investigated sexual orientation. The most common health conditions evaluated were out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (n = 50), acute coronary syndrome (n = 36), and stroke (n = 31). The phases of EMS care investigated included access (n = 55), pre-arrival care (n = 46), diagnosis/treatment (n = 42), and response/transport (n = 40), with several studies covering multiple phases. Disparities were identified related to all phases of EMS care for underrepresented groups, including symptom recognition, pain management, and stroke identification. The gray literature identified public perceptions of EMS clinicians' cultural competency and the ability to appropriately care for transgender patients in the prehospital setting.

CONCLUSIONS

Existing research highlights health disparities in EMS care delivery throughout multiple health outcomes and phases of EMS care. Future research is needed to identify structured mechanisms to eliminate disparities, address clinician bias, and provide high-quality equitable care for all patient populations.

Racial/ethnic and gender disparities of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) in Texas

INTRODUCTION

Prior research shows a greater disease burden, lower BCPR rates, and worse outcomes in Black and Hispanic patients after OHCA. Female OHCA patients have lower rates of BCPR compared to men and other survival outcomes vary. The influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on OHCA incidence and outcomes in different health disparity populations is unknown.

METHODS

We used data from the Texas Cardiac Arrest Registry to Enhance Survival (CARES). We determined the association of both prehospital characteristics and survival outcomes with the pandemic period in each study group through Pearson's χ2 test or Fisher's exact tests. We created mixed multivariable logistic regression models to compare odds of cardiac arrest care and outcomes between 2019 and 2020 for the study groups.

RESULTS

Black OHCA patients (aOR = 0.73; 95% CI: 0.65 - 0.82) had significantly lower odds of BCPR compared to White OHCA patients, were less likely to achieve ROSC (aOR = 0.86; 95% CI: 0.74 - 0.99) or have a good CPC score (aOR = 0.47; 95% CI: 0.29 - 0.75). Compared to White patients with OHCA, Hispanic persons were less likely to have a field TOR (aOR = 0.86; 95% CI: 0.75 - 0.99) or receive BCPR (aOR = 0.78; 95% CI: 0.69 - 0.87). Female OHCA patients had higher odds of surviving to hospital admission compared to males (aOR = 1.29; 95% CI: 1.15 - 1.44).

CONCLUSION

Many OHCA outcomes worsened for Black and Hispanic patients. While some aspects of care worsened for women, their odds of survival improved compared to males.

Utilizing community level factors to improve prediction of out of hospital cardiac arrest outcome using machine learning

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the impact of community level information on the predictability of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) survival.

METHODS

We used the Cardiac Arrest Registry to Enhance Survival (CARES) to geocode 9,595 Chicago incidents from 2014 to 2019 into community areas. Community variables including crime, healthcare, and economic factors from public data were merged with CARES. The merged data were used to develop ML models for OHCA survival. Models were evaluated using Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristic curve (AUROC) and features were analyzed using SHapley Additive exPansion (SHAP) values.

RESULTS

Baseline results using CARES data achieved an AUROC of 84%. The final model utilizing community variables increased the AUROC to 88%. A SHAP analysis between high and low performing community area clusters showed the high performing cluster is positively impacted by good health related features and good community safety features positively impact the low performing cluster.

CONCLUSION

Utilizing community variables helps predict neurologic outcomes with better performance than only CARES data. Future studies will use this model to perform simulations to identify interventions to improve OHCA survival.

Neighborhood-level out-of-hospital cardiac arrest risk and the impact of local CPR interventions

Introduction

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Individual-level income and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survival in men and women

Objective

Area-level socioeconomic factors are known to associate with chances to survive out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA survival). However, the relationship between individual-level socioeconomic factors and OHCA survival in men and women is less established. This study investigated the association between individual-level income and OHCA survival in men and women, as well as its contribution to outcome variability and mediation by resuscitation characteristics.

Methods

A cross-sectional cohort study using data from a Dutch community-based OHCA registry was performed. We included 5395 patients aged≥25 years with OHCA from a presumed cardiac cause. Household income, derived from Statistics Netherlands, was stratified into quartiles. The association between survival to hospital discharge and household income was analysed using multivariable logistic regression adjusting for age, sex and resuscitation characteristics.

Results

Overall women had lower household income than men (median €18 567 vs €21 015), and less favourable resuscitation characteristics. Increasing household income was associated with increased OHCA survival in both men and women in a linear manner (Q4 vs Q1: OR 1.63 95% CI (1.24 to 2.16) in men, and 2.54 (1.43 to 4.48) in women). Only initial rhythm significantly changed the ORs for OHCA survival with>10% in both men and women. Household income explained 3.8% in men and 4.3% in women of the observed variance in OHCA survival.

Conclusion

Both in men and women, higher individual-level household income was associated with a 1.2-fold to 2.5-fold increased OHCA survival to hospital discharge, but explained only little of outcome variability. A shockable initial rhythm was the most important resuscitation parameter mediating this association. Our results do not support the need for immediate targeted interventions on actionable prehospital resuscitation care characteristics.

Health inequities in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is a time-critical emergency in which a rapid response following the chain of survival is crucial to save life. Disparities in care can occur at each link in this pathway and hence produce health inequities. This review summarises the health inequities that exist for OHCA patients and suggests how they may be addressed.

RECENT FINDINGS

There is international evidence that the incidence of OHCA is increased with increasing deprivation and in ethnic minorities. These groups have lower rates of bystander CPR and bystander-initiated defibrillation, which may be due to barriers in accessing cardiopulmonary resuscitation training, provision of public access defibrillators, and language barriers with emergency call handlers. There are also disparities in the ambulance response and in-hospital care following resuscitation. These disadvantaged communities have poorer survival following OHCA.

SUMMARY

OHCA disproportionately affects deprived communities and ethnic minorities. These groups experience disparities in care throughout the chain of survival and this appears to translate into poorer outcomes. Addressing these inequities will require coordinated action that engages with disadvantaged communities.

Mode of transportation of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients, the role of community actions and interventions

The Emergency Medical Services constitutes a critical component in treating patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). Activating the EMS system is the first important step in deploying resources, but community involvement in the care of emergent patients is multifaceted and complex. How does the public access EMS services versus other modes of transport remains under investigated; and if the public opts for a different mode of transport to the hospital, how does this affect outcomes?

State-level political partisanship strongly correlates with health outcomes for US children

The Cook Partisan Voting Index (PVI) determines how strongly a state leans toward the Democratic or Republican Party in US presidential elections compared to the nation. We set out to determine the correlation between childhood health outcomes and state-level partisanship using PVI. Sixteen measures of childhood health were obtained from several US governmental agencies for 2003-2017. The median PVI for every state was calculated for the same time period. Pearson's rho determined the correlation between PVI and each health outcome. Multiple regression was also conducted, adjusting for educational attainment and percentage of non-White residents. We also compared childhood health in moderately Democratic and Republican states (5-9.9% more Democratic/Republican than the national mean) and, similarly, for extremely Democratic and Republican states (10% or more Democratic/Republican than the national mean), using Wilcoxon tests. For all 16 health measures, the median values in Democratic-leaning states represented better outcomes than Republican-leaning states (9/16 had a beta value for linear regression associated with P < 0.05). When compared to Republican states, the median values in moderately Democratic states represented better outcomes for 14 of 16 health measures (9/14 associated with P < 0.05). Similarly, the median values for extremely Democratic states represented better outcomes with regard to all 16 health measures, when compared to Republican-leaning states (8/16 associated with P < 0.05).Conclusions: Democratic-leaning states displayed superior outcomes for multiple childhood health measures when compared to Republican counterpart states. Future research should investigate the significance of these findings and attempt to determine which state-level policies may have contributed to such disparate health outcomes. What is Known: • In the United States, many health disparities exist among children along racial, economic and geographic lines. • Many US states lean strongly towards either the Democratic or Republican political parties in federal elections. What is New: • Trends for multiple measures of childhood health vary in association with the political partisanship of the state being examined. • Multiple barometers of childhood health are superior in Democratic-leaning states, while no measures are better in Republican-leaning states.