Community socioeconomic status and public access defibrillators: A multilevel analysis

Out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occurring at school in France: A nation-wide retrospective cohort study from the RéAC registry

AIM

We sought to describe the characteristics of at-school out-of-hospital cardiac arrests cases, subsequent basic life support, as well as ultimate patient outcomes.

METHODS

This was a nation-wide, multicentre, retrospective cohort study from the French national population-based RéAC out-of-hospital cardiac arrest registry (July 2011 - March 2023). We compared the characteristics and outcomes of cases occurring at schools vs. in other public places.

RESULTS

Of the 149,088 national out-of-hospital cardiac arrests, 25,071 were public: 86 (0.3%) and 24,985 (99.7%) in schools and other public places, respectively. At-school out-of-hospital cardiac arrests, in comparison to other public places, were: significantly younger (median: 42.5 vs. 58 years, p < 0.001); more commonly of a medical cause (90.7% vs. 63.8%, p < 0.001), more commonly bystander-witnessed (93.0% vs. 73.4%, p < 0.001) and recipients of bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (78.8% vs. 60.6%, p = 0.001) with shorter median no-flow durations (2 min. vs. 7 min.); with greater bystander automated external defibrillator application (38.9% vs. 18.4%) and defibrillation (23.6%, vs. 7.9%; all p < 0.001). At-school patients had greater rates of return of spontaneous circulation than out-of-school ones (47.7%, vs. 31.8%; p = 0.002), higher rates of survival at arrival at hospital (60.5% vs. 30.7%; p < 0.001) and at 30-days (34.9% vs. 11.6%; p < 0.001), and survival with favourable neurological outcomes at 30 days (25.9% vs. 9.2%; p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

At-school out-of-hospital cardiac arrests were rare in France, however demonstrated favourable prognostic features and outcomes. The use of automated external defibrillators in at-school cases, while more common than cases occurring elsewhere, should be improved.

Factors affecting public access defibrillator placement decisions in the United Kingdom: A survey study

Aim

This study aimed to understand current community PAD placement strategies and identify factors which influence PAD placement decision-making in the United Kingdom (UK).

Methods

Individuals, groups and organisations involved in PAD placement in the UK were invited to participate in an online survey collecting demographic information, facilitators and barriers to community PAD placement and information used to decide where a PAD is installed in their experiences. Survey responses were analysed through descriptive statistical analysis and thematic analysis.

Results

There were 106 included responses. Distance from another PAD (66%) and availability of a power source (63%) were most frequently used when respondents are deciding where best to install a PAD and historical occurrence of cardiac arrest (29%) was used the least. Three main themes were identified influencing PAD placement: (i) the relationship between the community and PADs emphasising community engagement to create buy-in; (ii) practical barriers and facilitators to PAD placement including securing consent, powering the cabinet, accessibility, security, funding, and guardianship; and (iii) 'risk assessment' methods to estimate the need for PADs including areas of high footfall, population density and type, areas experiencing health inequalities, areas with delayed ambulance response and current PAD provision.

Conclusion

Decision-makers want to install PADs in locations that maximise impact and benefit to the community, but this can be constrained by numerous social and infrastructural factors. The best location to install a PAD depends on local context; work is required to determine how to overcome barriers to optimal community PAD placement.

Individual socioeconomic status and risk of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: A nationwide case-control analysis

OBJECTIVES

Area-level socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with the incidence of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA); however, the effects of individual-level SES on OHCA occurrence are unknown. This study investigated whether individual-level SES is associated with the occurrence of OHCA.

METHODS

This case-control study used data from the nationwide OHCA registry and the National Health Information Database (NHID) in Korea. All adult patients with OHCA of a medical etiology from 2013 to 2018 were included. Four controls were matched to each OHCA patient based on age and sex. The exposure was individual-level SES measured by insurance type and premium, which is based on income in Korea. National Health Insurance (NHI) beneficiaries were divided into four groups (Q1-Q4), and medical aid beneficiaries were separately classified as the lowest SES group. The adjusted odds ratios (aORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the outcomes were calculated. Stratified analyses were conducted according to age and sex.

RESULTS

A total of 105,443 cases were matched with 421,772 controls. OHCA occurred more frequently in the lower SES groups. Compared with the highest SES group (Q1), the aORs for OHCA occurrence increased as the SES decreased (aORs [95% CI] were 1.21 [1.19-1.24] for Q2, 1.33 [1.31-1.36] for Q3, 1.32 [1.30-1.35] for Q4, and 2.08 [2.02-2.13] for medical aid). Disparity by individual-level SES appeared to be greater in males than in females and greater in the young and middle-aged adults than in older adults.

CONCLUSIONS

Low individual-level SES was associated with a higher probability of OHCA occurrence. Efforts are needed to reduce SES disparities in the occurrence of OHCA.

Public Access Defibrillators and Socioeconomic Factors on the Small—Scale Spatial Level in Berlin

BACKGROUND

The use of a public access defibrillator (PAD) increases the probability of surviving an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). No strategies exist, however, for the optimal distribution of PADs in an urban area in order to meet existing needs and ensure equal access for all potential users. It thus seems likely that the accessibility of PADs on the spatial level varies widely as a function of living circumstances.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study is based on registry data concerning PAD (2022, n = 776) and OHCA (2018-2020, n = 4051), along with data on socioeconomic factors on the spatial level in Berlin (12 districts and 137 subdistricts). Associations of socioeconomic factors with the number of PADs per 10 000 inhabitants and the PAD coverage rate of sites of previous OHCAs were investigated.

RESULTS

The median number of PADs per 10 000 inhabitants ranged from 0.46 to 2.67 at the district level, and only five districts had a median PAD coverage rate of sites of previous OHCAs above 0%, after aggregation of the analyses at the subdistrict level. Subdistricts with a more favorable economic status and a greater income disparity had a higher PAD density. Socially disadvantaged subdistricts had no association with PAD density.

CONCLUSION

There are large deficits in the distribution of PADs at the small-scale spatial level in Berlin with respect to the goals of meeting existing needs and ensuring equal access for all potential users. The findings presented here will be of importance for the planning of future PAD programs so that the distributional efficiency and fairness of PAD in urban areas can be improved.

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.

Optimizing Outcomes After Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest With Innovative Approaches to Public-Access Defibrillation: A Scientific Statement From the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation

Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is a global public health issue experienced by ≈3.8 million people annually. Only 8% to 12% survive to hospital discharge. Early defibrillation of shockable rhythms is associated with improved survival, but ensuring timely access to defibrillators has been a significant challenge. To date, the development of public-access defibrillation programs, involving the deployment of automated external defibrillators into the public space, has been the main strategy to address this challenge. Public-access defibrillator programs have been associated with improved outcomes for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest; however, the devices are used in <3% of episodes of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. This scientific statement was commissioned by the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation with 3 objectives: (1) identify known barriers to public-access defibrillator use and early defibrillation, (2) discuss established and novel strategies to address those barriers, and (3) identify high-priority knowledge gaps for future research to address. The writing group undertook systematic searches of the literature to inform this statement. Innovative strategies were identified that relate to enhanced public outreach, behavior change approaches, optimization of static public-access defibrillator deployment and housing, evolved automated external defibrillator technology and functionality, improved integration of public-access defibrillation with existing emergency dispatch protocols, and exploration of novel automated external defibrillator delivery vectors. We provide evidence- and consensus-based policy suggestions to enhance public-access defibrillation and guidance for future research in this area.

Optimizing outcomes after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest with innovative approaches to public-access defibrillation: A scientific statement from the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation

Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is a global public health issue experienced by ≈3.8 million people annually. Only 8% to 12% survive to hospital discharge. Early defibrillation of shockable rhythms is associated with improved survival, but ensuring timely access to defibrillators has been a significant challenge. To date, the development of public-access defibrillation programs, involving the deployment of automated external defibrillators into the public space, has been the main strategy to address this challenge. Public-access defibrillator programs have been associated with improved outcomes for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest; however, the devices are used in <3% of episodes of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. This scientific statement was commissioned by the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation with 3 objectives: (1) identify known barriers to public-access defibrillator use and early defibrillation, (2) discuss established and novel strategies to address those barriers, and (3) identify high-priority knowledge gaps for future research to address. The writing group undertook systematic searches of the literature to inform this statement. Innovative strategies were identified that relate to enhanced public outreach, behavior change approaches, optimization of static public-access defibrillator deployment and housing, evolved automated external defibrillator technology and functionality, improved integration of public-access defibrillation with existing emergency dispatch protocols, and exploration of novel automated external defibrillator delivery vectors. We provide evidence- and consensus-based policy suggestions to enhance public-access defibrillation and guidance for future research in this area.

A national population-based study of patients, bystanders and contextual factors associated with resuscitation in witnessed cardiac arrest: insight from the french RéAC registry

Background

In out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), bystander initiated cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) increases the chance of return of spontaneous circulation and survival with a favourable neurological status. Socioeconomic disparities have been highlighted in OHCA field. In areas with the lowest average socioeconomic status, OHCA incidence increased, and bystander CPR decreased. Evaluations were performed on restricted geographical area, and European evaluation is lacking. We aimed to analyse, at a national level, the impact of area-level social deprivation on the initiation of CPR in case of a witnessed OHCA.

Methods

We included all witnessed OHCA cases with age over 18 years from July 2011 to July 2018 form the OHCA French national registry. We excluded OHCA occurred in front of rescue teams or in nursing home, and patients with incomplete address or partial geocoding. We collected data from context, bystander and patient. The area-level social deprivation was estimated by the French version of the European Deprivation Index (in quintile) associated with the place where OHCA occurred. We assessed the associations between Utstein variables and social deprivation level using a mixed-effect logit model with bystander-initiated CPR.

Results

We included 23,979 witnessed OHCA of which 12,299 (51%) had a bystander-initiated CPR. More than one third of the OHCA (8,326 (35%)) occurred in an area from the highest quintile of social deprivation. The higher the area-level deprivation, the less the proportion of bystander-initiated CPR (56% in Quintile 1 versus 48% in Quintile 5). The In the multivariable analysis, bystander less often began CPR in areas with the highest deprivation level, compared to those with the lowest deprivation level (OR=0.69, IC95%: 0.63-0.75).

Conclusions

The level of social deprivation of the area where OHCA occurred was associated with bystander-initiated CPR. It decreased in the more deprived areas although these areas also concentrate more younger patients.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-021-12269-4.

Are there disparities in the location of automated external defibrillators in England?

Background

Early defibrillation is an essential element of the chain of survival for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). Public access defibrillation (PAD) programmes aim to place automated external defibrillators (AED) in areas with high OHCA incidence, but there is sometimes a mismatch between AED density and OHCA incidence.

Objectives

This study aimed to assess whether there were any disparities in the characteristics of areas that have an AED and those that do not in England.

Methods

Details of the location of AEDs registered with English Ambulance Services were obtained from individual services or internet sources. Neighbourhood characteristics of lower layer super output areas (LSOA) were obtained from the Office for National Statistics. Comparisons were made between LSOAs with and without a registered AED.

Results

AEDs were statistically more likely to be in LSOAs with a lower residential but higher workplace population density, with people predominantly from a white ethnic background and working in higher socio-economically classified occupations (p < 0.05). There was a significant correlation between AED coverage and the LSOA Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) (r = 0.79, p = 0.007), with only 27.4% in the lowest IMD decile compared to about 45% in highest. AED density varied significantly across the country from 0.82/km² in the north east to 2.97/km² in London.

Conclusions

In England, AEDs were disproportionately placed in more affluent areas, with a lower residential population density. This contrasts with locations where OHCAs have previously occurred. Future PAD programmes should give preference to areas of higher deprivation and be tailored to the local community.

Socioeconomically equitable public defibrillator placement using mathematical optimization

BACKGROUND

Mathematical optimization can be used to place automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in locations that maximize coverage of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCAs). We sought to determine whether optimization can improve alignment between AED locations and OHCA counts across levels of socioeconomic deprivation.

METHODS

All suspected OHCAs and registered AEDs in Scotland between Jan. 2011 and Sept. 2017 were included and mapped to a corresponding socioeconomic deprivation level using the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD). We used mathematical optimization to determine optimal locations for placing 10%, 25%, 50%, and 100% additional AEDs, as well as locations for relocating existing AEDs. For each AED placement policy, we examined the impact on AED distribution and OHCA "coverage" (suspected OHCA occurring within 100 m of AED) with respect to SIMD quintiles.

RESULTS

We identified 49,432 suspected OHCAs and 1532 AEDs. The distribution of existing AED locations across SIMD quintiles significantly differed from the distribution of suspected OHCAs (P < 0.001). Optimization-guided AED placement increased coverage of suspected OHCAs compared to existing AED locations (all P < 0.001). Optimization resulted in more AED placements and increased OHCA coverage in areas of greater socioeconomic deprivation, such that resulting distributions across SIMD quintiles matched the shape of the OHCA count distribution. Optimally relocating existing AEDs achieved similar OHCA coverage levels to that of doubling the number of total AEDs.

CONCLUSIONS

Mathematical optimization results in AED locations and suspected OHCA coverage that more closely resembles the suspected OHCA distribution and results in more equitable coverage across levels of socioeconomic deprivation.

Location of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and the awareness time interval: a nationwide observational study

AIMS

A short awareness time interval (ATI, time from witnessing the arrest to calling for help) and bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) are important factors affecting neurological recovery after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). This study investigated the association of the location of OHCA with the length of ATI and bystander CPR.

METHODS

This population-based observational study used the nationwide Korea OHCA database and included all adults with layperson-witnessed OHCA with presumed cardiac aetiology between 2013 and 2017. The exposure was the location of OHCA (public places, private housing and nursing facilities). The primary outcome was short ATI, defined as <4 min from witnessing to calling for emergency medical service (EMS). The secondary outcome was the frequency of provision of bystander CPR. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the association of location of OHCA with study outcomes.

RESULTS

Of 30 373 eligible OHCAs, 66.6% occurred in private housing, 24.0% occurred in public places and 9.4% occurred in nursing facilities. In 67.3% of the cases, EMS was activated within 4 min of collapse, most frequently in public places (public places 77.0%, private housing 64.2% and nursing facilities 64.8%; p<0.01). The overall rate of bystander CPR was 65.5% with highest in nursing facilities (77.0%), followed by public places (70.1%) and private housing 62.3%; p<0.01). Compared with public places, the adjusted ORs (AORs) (95% CIs) for a short ATI were 0.58 (0.54 to 0.62) in private housing and 0.62 (0.56 to 0.69) in nursing facilities. The AORs (95% CIs) for bystander CPR were 0.75 (0.71 to 0.80) in private housing and 1.57 (1.41 to 1.75) in nursing facilities.

CONCLUSION

OHCAs in private housing and nursing facilities were less likely to have immediate EMS activation after collapse than in public places. A public education is needed to increase the awareness of necessity of prompt EMS activation.

Comparison of the effects of audio-instructed and video-instructed dispatcher-assisted cardiopulmonary resuscitation on resuscitation outcomes after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest

BACKGROUND

This study compared the real-world effects of audio-instructed dispatcher-assisted cardiopulmonary resuscitation (DA-CPR) and video-instructed DA-CPR on resuscitation outcomes after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA).

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study was conducted among adult OHCA patients in whom resuscitation was attempted in 2017 in Seoul, Korea. The dispatch center of Seoul introduced video-instructed DA-CPR in 2017, whereas audio-instructed DA-CPR was first implemented in 2010. When more than two bystanders were at the scene and could handle a video-call, the dispatcher call back a video-call and provided CPR instructions. In other situations, standard audio-instructed DA-CPR was provided. The primary outcome was survival to discharge. The secondary outcome was good neurological outcome at hospital discharge. The tertiary outcome was early instruction time interval (ITI, time from call to the initiation of CPR instruction ≤90 s). The study outcomes of audio-instructed DA-CPR (audio group) and video-instructed DA-CPR (video group) were compared. The propensity score matching (PSM) method was used to increase the comparability of the two groups and the logistic regression was performed for the PSM cohort.

RESULTS

A total of 1720 eligible OHCA patients (1489 and 231 in the audio and video groups, respectively) were evaluated. The median ITI was 136 s in the audio group and 122 s in the video group (p = 0.12). The survival to discharge rates were 8.9% in the audio group and 14.3% in the video groups (p < 0.01). Good neurological outcome occurred in 5.8% and 10.4% in the audio and video groups, respectively (p < 0.01). Compared to the audio group, the AORs (95% CIs) for survival to discharge, good neurological outcome and early ITI of the video group were 1.20 (0.74-1.94), 1.28 (0.73-2.26) and 1.00 (0.70-1.43), respectively. The PSM population showed similar results as those of the original cohort.

CONCLUSION

Compared to audio-instructed DA-CPR, video-instructed DA-CPR was not associated with survival improvement in this observational study conducted in one metropolitan city. Randomized controlled trials are needed to compare the effects of video- and audio-instructed DA-CPR.

Public-access automated external defibrillator pad application and favorable neurological outcome after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in public locations: A prospective population-based propensity score-matched study

BACKGROUND

Randomized controlled trials or observational studies showed that the use of public-access automated external defibrillator (AED) was effective for patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). However, it is unclear whether public-access AED use is effective for all patients with OHCA irrespective of first documented rhythm. We aimed to evaluate the effect of public-access AED use for OHCA patients considering first documented rhythm (shockable or non-shockable) in public locations.

METHODS

From the Utstein-style registry in Osaka City, Japan, we obtained information on adult patients with OHCA of medical origin in public locations before emergency-medical-service personnel arrival between 2011 and 2015. Primary outcome was 1-month survival with favorable neurological outcome. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the association between the public-access AED pad application and favorable neurological outcome after OHCA by using one-to-one propensity score matching analysis.

RESULTS

Among 1743 eligible patients, a total of 336 (19.3%) patients received public-access AED pad application. The proportion of patients who survived 1-month with favorable neurological outcome was significantly higher in the pad application group than in the non-pad application group (29.8% vs. 9.7%; adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 2.85; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.73-4.68, AOR after propensity score matching, 2.46; 95% CI, 1.29-4.68). In a subgroup analysis, the AORs of patients with shockable or non-shockable rhythms were 3.36 (95% CI, 1.78-6.35) and 2.38 (95% CI, 0.89-6.34), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Public-access AED pad application was associated with better outcome among patients with OHCA of medical origin in public locations irrespective of first documented rhythm.

Effect of Implementation of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation-Targeted Multi-Tier Response System on Outcomes After Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest: A Before-and-After Population-Based Study

Objective: A multi-tiered response (MTR) system has been controversial in terms of cost-effectiveness and outcome improvement. It remains uncertain whether a cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)-targeted tiered response system is associated with better outcomes after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). This study aimed to investigate the effect of an MTR on OHCA outcomes. Methods: A natural experimental study was conducted for resuscitation-attempted adult OHCAs. The MTR system was implemented in Korea by the National Fire Agency in 2015 across the country where the single-tiered ambulance response system existed. The MTR program had the following 3 components: 1) detection of OHCA by dispatcher, 2) dispatch of ambulance or fire engine in addition to routine dispatch of ambulance, and 3) performance of team CPR. The study period of 2015-2016 was divided by 6 months (phases I [reference], II, III, and IV). The endpoints were prehospital defibrillation, prehospital return of spontaneous circulation (PROSC), survival to discharge and good neurological recovery. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the effect of the intervention, and adjusted odds ratios (AORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated, adjusting for potential confounders. Results: A total of 32,663 eligible OHCA cases were evaluated during the study period. As the intervention program spread, the MTR with ambulance increased (from 7.0% in phase I to 53.7% in phase IV, p for trend < 0.01). During the study period, prehospital defibrillation increased from 23.6% in phase I to 26.9% in phase IV and the study outcome was improved from 7.4 to 12.6% for PROSC, from 6.7 to 9.1% for survival to discharge, and from 4.5 to 5.8% for good neurological outcome (p for trend < 0.01 for all). Compared with phase I, the AORs (95% CI) of phase IV were 1.16 (1.08-1.25) for prehospital defibrillation, 1.82 (1.63-2.04) for PROSC, 1.37 (1.21-1.56) for survival to discharge, and 1.23 (1.06-1.43) for good neurological outcome. Conclusion: The nationwide implementation of a multi-tiered response system for OHCA was associated with increased prehospital defibrillation and improved outcomes of OHCA patients.