Incidence and Survival of Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest in Public Housing Areas in 3 European Capitals

BACKGROUND

Strategies to reach out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (called cardiac arrest) in residential areas and reduce disparities in care and outcomes are warranted. This study investigated incidences of cardiac arrests in public housing areas.

METHODS

This register-based cohort study included cardiac arrest patients from Amsterdam (the Netherlands) from 2016 to 2021, Copenhagen (Denmark) from 2016 to 2021, and Vienna (Austria) from 2018 to 2021. Using Poisson regression adjusted for spatial correlation and city, we compared cardiac arrest incidence rates (number per square kilometer per year and number per 100 000 inhabitants per year) in public housing and other residential areas and examined the proportion of cardiac arrests within public housing and adjacent areas (100-m radius).

RESULTS

Overall, 9152 patients were included of which 3038 (33.2%) cardiac arrests occurred in public housing areas and 2685 (29.3%) in adjacent areas. In Amsterdam, 635/1801 (35.3%) cardiac arrests occurred in public housing areas; in Copenhagen, 1036/3077 (33.7%); and in Vienna, 1367/4274 (32.0%). Public housing areas covered 42.4 (12.6%) of 336.7 km2 and 1 024 470 (24.6%) of 4 164 700 inhabitants. Across the capitals, we observed a lower probability of 30-day survival in public housing versus other residential areas (244/2803 [8.7%] versus 783/5532 [14.2%]). The incidence rates and rate ratio of cardiac arrest in public housing versus other residential areas were incidence rate, 16.5 versus 4.1 n/km2 per year; rate ratio, 3.46 (95% CI, 3.31-3.62) and incidence rate, 56.1 versus 36.8 n/100 000 inhabitants per year; rate ratio, 1.48 (95% CI, 1.42-1.55). The incidence rates and rate ratios in public housing versus other residential areas were consistent across the 3 capitals.

CONCLUSIONS

Across 3 European capitals, one-third of cardiac arrests occurred in public housing areas, with an additional third in adjacent areas. Public housing areas exhibited consistently higher cardiac arrest incidences per square kilometer and 100 000 inhabitants and lower survival than other residential areas. Public housing areas could be a key target to improve cardiac arrest survival in countries with a public housing sector.

Medical Students' Speak Up Barriers: A Randomized Controlled Trial With Written Vignettes

OBJECTIVES

Little is known about medical students' speak-up barriers upon recognizing or becoming aware of risky or deficient actions of others. Improving our knowledge on these helps in preparing student to function in actual health care organizations. The aim was to examine medical students' perceived reasons for silence in respect to different speak-up situations (i.e., vignette content) and to test if vignette difficulty had an effect on reasons indicated.

METHODS

This study was a randomized, controlled, single-blind trial, with text-based vignettes to investigate speak-up barriers. Vignette contents described speak-up situations that varied systematically with respect to speak up barrier (i.e., environmental norm, uncertainty, hierarchy) and difficulty (i.e., easy, difficult). For each vignette, participants indicated which speak-up barriers they regarded as important.Descriptive analysis was performed for the study population, the numbers of barriers perceived and rating of vignette difficulty. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the association between barriers perceived and vignette contents, designed vignette difficulty and subjectively rated vignette difficulty.

RESULTS

A total of 265 students were included. The response rate was 100%. Different barriers were relevant for the different vignettes and varied in a consistent way with the theme of the vignette. Significantly more speak-up barriers were indicated for participants with the difficult version for vignette 1 (not an environmental norm) and vignette 3 (hierarchy) with odds ratio (OR) = 1.52 and 95% confidence interval (95% CI: 1.33-1.73) and OR = 1.25 (95% CI: 1.09-1.44). For (OR) estimates, confidence intervals were rather large.

CONCLUSIONS

Perceived barriers for speak-up vary consistently with the characteristics of the situation and more barriers preventing speak up were related to the difficult versions of the vignettes.

Volunteer Responder Interventions in Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest in Urban, Suburban, and Rural Areas

BACKGROUND

Patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) in rural areas experience longer emergency response times and have lower survival rates compared with patients in urban areas. Volunteer responders might improve care and outcomes for patients with OHCA specifically in rural areas. Therefore, we investigated volunteer responder interventions based on the degree of urbanization.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We included 1310 OHCAs from 3 different regions in Denmark where volunteer responders had arrived at the OHCA location. The location was classified as urban, suburban, or rural according to the Eurostat Degree of Urbanization Tool. A logistic regression model was used to examine associations between the degree of urbanization and volunteer responder arrival before emergency medical services, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or defibrillation. We found the odds for volunteer responder arrival before emergency medical services more than doubled in rural areas (odds ratio [OR], 2.60 [95% CI, 1.91-3.53]) and suburban areas (OR, 2.05 [95% CI, 1.56-2.69]) compared with urban areas. In OHCA cases where volunteer responders arrived first, odds for bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation was tripled in rural areas (OR, 3.83 [95% CI, 1.64-8.93]) and doubled in suburban areas (OR, 2.27 [95% CI, 1.17-4.41]) compared with urban areas. Bystander defibrillation was more common in suburban areas (OR, 1.53 [95% CI, 1.02-2.31]), where almost 1 out of 4 patients received bystander defibrillation, compared with urban areas.

CONCLUSIONS

Volunteer responders are significantly more likely to arrive before emergency medical services in rural and suburban areas than in urban areas. Patients with OHCA received more cardiopulmonary resuscitation in rural and suburban areas and more defibrillation in suburban areas than in urban areas.

Association between travel distance and face-to-face consultations with general practitioners before an incident acute myocardial infarction: a nationwide register-based spatial epidemiological study

OBJECTIVES

This study examined the association between travel distance to the general practitioner's (GP) office and no face-to-face GP consultation within 1 year before an incident acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

DESIGN

A prospective cohort study using multilevel spatial logistic regression analysis of nationwide register data.

SETTING

Nationwide study including contacts to GPs in Denmark prior to an incident AMI in 2005-2017.

PARTICIPANTS

121 232 adults (≥30 years) with incident AMI were included in the study.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOMES MEASURES

The primary outcome was odds of not having a face-to-face GP consultation within 1 year before an incident AMI.

RESULTS

In total, 13 108 (10.8%) of the 121 232 individuals with incident AMI had no face-to-face consultation with the GP within 1 year before the AMI. Population density modified the association between travel distance and no face-to-face GP consultation. Increased odds of no face-to-face GP consultation was observed for medium (25th-75th percentile/1123-5449 m) and long (>75th percentile/5449 m) compared with short travel distance (<25th percentile/1123 m) among individuals living in small cities (OR (95% credible intervals) of 1.19 (1.10 to 1.29) and 1.19 (1.06 to 1.33), respectively) and rural areas (1.46 (1.26 to 1.68) and 1.48 (1.29 to 1.68), respectively). No association was observed for individuals living in large cities and the capital.

CONCLUSIONS

Travel distance above approximately 1 km was significantly associated with no face-to-face GP consultation before an incident AMI among individuals living in small cities and rural areas. The structure of the healthcare system should consider the importance of geographical distance between citizens and the GP in remote areas.

COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Tests With Self-Collected vs Health Care Worker-Collected Nasal and Throat Swab Specimens: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Importance

Self- or health care worker (HCW)-collected nasal swab specimens are the preferred sampling method to perform rapid antigen testing for COVID-19, but it is debated whether throat specimens can improve test sensitivity.

Objective

To compare the diagnostic accuracy of self- and HCW-collected nasal vs throat swab specimens for COVID-19 rapid antigen testing.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This per-protocol multicenter randomized clinical trial was conducted from February 15 through March 25, 2022. The participants, individuals aged 16 years or older requesting a COVID-19 test for diagnostic or screening purposes, had 4 specimens collected for individual testing at 1 of 2 urban COVID-19 outpatient test centers in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Interventions

Participants were randomized 1:1 to self-collected or HCW-collected nasal and throat swab specimens for rapid antigen testing. Additional HCW-collected nasal and throat swab specimens for reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were used as the reference standard.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The primary outcome was sensitivity to diagnose COVID-19 of a self- vs HCW-collected nasal and throat specimen for rapid antigen testing compared with RT-PCR.

Results

Of 2941 participants enrolled, 2674 (90.9%) had complete test results and were included in the final analysis (1535 [57.4%] women; median age, 40 years [IQR, 28-55 years]); 1074 (40.2%) had COVID-19 symptoms, and 827 (30.9%) were positive for SARS-CoV-2 by RT-PCR. Health care worker-collected throat specimens had higher mean sensitivity than HCW-collected nasal specimens for rapid antigen testing (69.4% [95% CI, 65.1%-73.6%] vs 60.0% [95% CI, 55.4%-64.5%]). However, a subgroup analysis of symptomatic participants found that self-collected nasal specimens were more sensitive than self-collected throat specimens for rapid antigen testing (mean sensitivity, 71.5% [95% CI, 65.3%-77.6%] vs 58.0% [95% CI, 51.2%-64.7%]; P < .001). Combining nasal and throat specimens increased sensitivity for HCW- and self-collected specimens by 21.4 and 15.5 percentage points, respectively, compared with a single nasal specimen (both P < .001).

Conclusions and Relevance

This randomized clinical trial found that a single HCW-collected throat specimen had higher sensitivity for rapid antigen testing for SARS-CoV-2 than a nasal specimen. In contrast, the self-collected nasal specimens had higher sensitivity than throat specimens for symptomatic participants. Adding a throat specimen to the standard practice of collecting a single nasal specimen could improve sensitivity for rapid antigen testing in health care and home-based settings.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05209178.

The Impact of Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 on Health Outcomes and Hospital Visits after Omicron Infection in Children and Adolescents Aged 5-18 Years: A Danish Nation-Wide Cohort Study

This study investigates the impact of vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 on health outcomes and hospital contacts in children and adolescents aged 5-18 years infected with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant, comparing previously vaccinated with unvaccinated. Using national register data, vaccinated and unvaccinated Danish children and adolescents with a positive SARS-CoV-2 test between 1 January and 31 March 2022 (Omicron dominance period) were included. The Prior Event Rate Ratio (PERR) was used to explore differences in hospital contacts (hospitalizations and emergency room (ER) visits), while Inverse Treatment Probability Weighted (IPW) risk ratios were used to explore the risk of severe health outcomes within six weeks following SARS-CoV-2 infection. Vaccinated 5-11-year-old girls had fewer visits to the ER compared to unvaccinated ones, PERR 0.92 (95% CI 0.84-1.00). Vaccinated 5-11-year-old boys had fewer hospitalizations (PERR 0.79 (0.64-0.99)) and more ER visits (PERR 1.13 (1.04-1.22)) compared to unvaccinated ones. An unadjusted and significant lower risk of febrile seizure among vaccinated 5-11-year-olds compared to unvaccinated ones was found (risk ratio 0.12 (0.04-0.39), p ≤ 0.01. No significant differences were found for severe conditions or for croup or pneumonia in either age group. The results indicate a modest protective effect of the vaccine in terms of hospital contacts, but no protective effect on health outcomes after SARS-CoV-2 Omicron infection in this population of Danish children and adolescents.

Is dispatcher-assisted cardiopulmonary resuscitation affected by a bystander's emotional stress state in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest?

AIM

The study aimed to investigate whether a bystander's emotional stress state affects dispatcher-assisted cardiopulmonary resuscitation (DA-CPR) in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). The primary outcome was initiation of chest compressions (Yes/No). Secondarily we analysed time until chest compressions were initiated and assessed how dispatchers instructed CPR.

METHOD

The study was a retrospective, observational study of OHCA emergency calls from the Capital Region of Denmark. Recorded calls were evaluated by five observers using a pre-defined code catalogue regarding the variables wished investigated.

RESULTS

Included were 655 OHCA emergency calls, of which 211 callers were defined as emotionally stressed. When cardiac arrest was recognized, chest compressions were initiated in, respectively, 76.8% of cases with an emotionally stressed caller and 73.9% in cases with a not emotionally stressed caller (2.18 (0.80-7.64)). Cases with an emotionally stressed caller had a longer time until chest compressions were initiated compared to cases with a not emotionally stressed caller, however non-significant (164 s. vs. 146 s.; P = 0.145). The dispatchers were significantly more likely to be encouraging and motivating, and to instruct on speed and depth of chest compressions in cases with an emotionally stressed caller compared to cases with a not emotionally stressed caller (1.64 (1.07-2.56); 1.78 (1.13-2.88)). Barriers to CPR were significantly more often reported in cases with an emotionally stressed caller compared to cases with a not emotionally stressed caller (1.83 (1.32-2.56)).

CONCLUSION

There was no significant difference in initiation of chest compressions or in time until initiation of chest compressions in the two groups. However, the dispatchers were overall more encouraging and motivating, and likely to instruct on speed and depth of chest compressions when the caller was emotionally stressed. Furthermore, barriers to CPR were more often reported in cases with an emotionally stressed caller compared to cases with a not emotionally stressed caller.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

We applied for ethical approval from The Danish National Committee on Health Research Ethics, but formal approval was waived. We received permission for storage of data and to use these for research of OHCAs in the Capital Region of Denmark by Danish Data Protection Agency (P-2021-670) and Danish Health Authorities (R-2,005,114). The study is registered at ClinicalTrials (NTC05113706).

Utilization of a public subsidy scheme for dental care services among socially vulnerable citizens out of labor in Copenhagen, Denmark

OBJECTIVE

Addressing social inequality in oral health and access to dental care is a global concern. This study aims to describe the utilization of a public subsidy scheme targeting vulnerable individuals out of labor in Copenhagen municipality (2013-2018) and to identify key characteristics of individuals eligible to apply.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Data from Copenhagen municipality were combined with data from population and health registers. Employing logistic regression analyses, we examined the association between demographic, socioeconomic, and health-related characteristics and (1) having applied, (2) being granted, and (3) using the subsidy.

RESULTS

The study included 65,174 individuals aged 18-65. Of these 10,369 (15.9%) applied for subsidies, submitting a total of 18,529 applications. Overall, 83% of the applications were granted and 85% were used. Significantly increased odds of applying for subsidies were observed among individuals receiving social benefits non-stop over the past year versus none (odds ratio [OR] = 15.45, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 14.24-16.76), aged 50-65 versus 18-29 years (OR = 4.41, CI = 4.15-4.69), and having combined indicators of social vulnerability versus none (OR = 2.90, CI = 2.73-3.07).

CONCLUSIONS

While the utilization of the public subsidy scheme is low, individuals who apply are likely to be granted a subsidy and use it. Vulnerability was associated with greater utilization of the scheme, yet a substantial portion of those at risk of poor oral health did not take advantage of it.

Public Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest in Residential Neighborhoods

BACKGROUND

Although one-half of all public out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCAs) occur outside private homes in residential neighborhoods, their characteristics and outcomes remain unexplored.

OBJECTIVES

The authors assessed interventions before ambulance arrival and survival for public OHCA patients in residential neighborhoods.

METHODS

Public OHCAs from Vienna (2018-2021) and Copenhagen (2016-2020) were designated residential neighborhoods or nonresidential areas. Interventions (cardiopulmonary resuscitation [CPR], automated external defibrillator [AED] attached, and defibrillation) and 30-day survival were compared using a generalized estimation equation model adjusted for age and time of day and presented as ORs.

RESULTS

We included 1,052 and 654 public OHCAs from Vienna and Copenhagen, respectively, and 68% and 55% occurred in residential neighborhoods, respectively. The likelihood of CPR, defibrillation, and survival in residential neighborhoods vs nonresidential areas (reference) were as follows: CPR Vienna, 73% vs 78%, OR: 0.78 (95% CI: 0.57-1.06), CPR Copenhagen, 83% vs 90%, OR: 0.54 (95% CI: 0.34-0.88), and CPR combined, 76% vs 84%, OR: 0.70 (95% CI: 0.53-0.90); AED attached Vienna, 36% vs 44%, OR: 0.69 (95% CI: 0.53-0.90), AED attached Copenhagen, 21% vs 43%, OR: 0.33 (95% CI: 0.24-0.48), and AED attached combined, 31% vs 44%, OR: 0.53 (95% CI: 0.42-0.65); defibrillation Vienna, 14% vs 20%, OR: 0.61 (95% CI: 0.43-0.87), defibrillation Copenhagen, 16% vs 36%, OR: 0.35 (95% CI: 0.24-0.51), and defibrillation combined, 15% vs 27%, OR: 0.46 (95% CI: 0.36-0.61); and 30-day survival rate Vienna, 21% vs 26%, OR: 0.84 (95% CI: 0.58-1.20), 30-day survival rate Copenhagen, 33% vs 44%, OR: 0.65 (95% CI: 0.47-0.90), and 30-day survival rate combined, 25% vs 36%, OR: 0.73 (95% CI: 0.58-0.93).

CONCLUSIONS

Two-thirds of public OHCAs occurred in residential neighborhoods with fewer resuscitative efforts before ambulance arrival and lower survival than in nonresidential areas. Targeted efforts to improve early CPR and defibrillation for public OHCA patients in residential neighborhoods are needed.

Association of Real-Time Feedback and Cardiopulmonary-Resuscitation Quality Delivered by Ambulance Personnel for Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest

Background High-quality cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is associated with improved survival from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and includes chest compression depth, chest compression rate, and chest compression fraction within international guideline recommendations. Previous studies have demonstrated divergent results of real-time feedback on CPR performance and patient outcomes. This study investigated the association between emergency medical service CPR quality and real-time CPR feedback for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Methods and Results This study collected out-of-hospital cardiac arrest data within the Capital Region of Denmark and compared CPR quality delivered by ambulance personnel. Data were collected in 2 consecutive phases from October 2018 to February 2020. Median chest compression depth was 6.0 cm (no feedback) and 5.9 cm (real-time feedback) (P=0.852). Corresponding proportion of guideline-compliant chest compressions for depth was 16.6% and 28.7%, respectively (P<0.001). Median chest compression rate per minute was 111 and 109 (P<0.001), respectively. Corresponding guideline adherence proportion for compression rate was 65.4% compared with 80.4% (P<0.001), respectively. Chest compression fraction was 78.9% compared with 81.9% (P<0.001), respectively. The combination of guideline-compliant chest compression depth and chest compression rate simultaneously was 8.5% (no feedback) versus 18.8% (feedback) (P<0.001). Improvements were not significant for return of spontaneous circulation (odds ratio [OR], 1.08 [95% CI, 0.84-1.39]), sustained return of spontaneous circulation (OR, 1.00 [95% CI, 0.77-1.31]), or survival to hospital discharge (OR, 0.91 [95% CI, 0.64-1.30]). Conclusions Real-time feedback was associated with improved guideline compliance for chest compression depth, rate, and fraction but not return of spontaneous circulation, sustained return of spontaneous circulation, or survival to hospital discharge. Registration URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT04152252.

Video Tutorials to Empower Caregivers of Ill Children and Reduce Health Care Utilization: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Importance

Young children often fall ill, leading to concern among their caregivers and urgent contact with health care services.

Objective

To assess the effectiveness and safety of video tutorials to empower caregivers in caring for acutely ill children.

Design, Setting, and Participants

Caregivers calling the out-of-hours Medical Helpline 1813 (MH1813), Emergency Medical Services Capital Region, Denmark, and their children aged 0.5 to 11.9 years were randomized to video tutorials (intervention) or telephone triage by a nurse or physician (control) from October 2020 to December 2021 and followed up for 72 hours blinded to the intervention. Data were analyzed from March to July 2022.

Intervention

The intervention group had the call disconnected before telephone triage and received video tutorials on managing common symptoms in acutely ill children and when to seek medical help. Caregivers could subsequently call MH1813 for telephone triage.

Main outcomes and measures

The primary outcome was caregivers' self-efficacy, reported in an electronic survey the following day. Secondary outcomes were satisfaction, child status, assessment by a general practitioner or physician at the hospital, telephone triage, and adverse events during the 72-hour follow-up period.

Results

In total, 4686 caregivers and children were randomized to intervention (2307 participants) or control (2379 participants), with a median (IQR) child age of 2.3 (1.3-5.1) years and 53% male distribution in both groups (2493 participants). Significantly more caregivers in the intervention group reported high self-efficacy (80% vs 76%; crude odds ratio [OR], 1.30; 95% CI, 1.01-1.67; P = .04). The intervention group received fewer telephone triages during follow-up (887 vs 2374 in the control group). Intention-to-treat analysis showed no difference in secondary outcomes, but per-protocol subanalysis showed fewer hospital assessments when caregivers watched video tutorials (27% vs 35%; adjusted OR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.55-0.82). Randomization to video tutorials did not increase adverse outcomes.

Conclusions and relevance

In this randomized clinical trial, offering caregivers video tutorials significantly and safely increased self-efficacy and reduced use of telephone triage. Children had fewer hospital assessments when caregivers watched videos. This suggests a future potential of health care information to empower caregivers and reduce health care utilization.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04301206.

Development of geographic inequality in dental caries and its association with socioeconomic factors over an 18-year period in Denmark

BACKGROUND

Few studies have examined the development of geographic and socioeconomic inequalities in caries over time or have simultaneously assessed individual-level socioeconomic position (SEP) and neighborhood-level factors as a multi-layered phenomenon influencing caries inequalities. This study examined (i) the trends in geographic inequalities in caries among adolescents in Denmark and (ii) how the association between SEP and caries has progressed over time, when accounting for individual and neighborhood-level confounding factors.

METHODS

This nationwide repeated cross-sectional study included 15-year-olds in Denmark from 1995, 2003, and 2013 (n = 149,808). The outcome was caries experience (measured by the decayed, missing, and filled tooth surfaces [DMFS] index). The exposure of interest was SEP, indicated by the previous year's parental education, occupational social class, and (equivalized) disposable household income. Covariates included individual-level factors (immigration status, country of origin, number of children and persons in the family, and household type) and neighborhood (residence municipality)-level factors (Gini index; proportion of unemployed, low-educated, and unmarried/non-cohabiting individuals; proportion of single-parent households and households with overcrowding). Data sources included the Danish national dental and administrative social registers and Statistics Denmark's statistics database (StatBank). Data were analyzed using spatial and spatiotemporal modelling utilizing zero-inflated negative binomial regressions and integrated nested Laplace approximations for Bayesian parametric inference. Observed caries experience geo-maps of the Danish municipalities for 1995, 2003, and 2013 were created.

RESULTS

Between 1995 and 2013, caries prevalence in the 15-year-olds declined sharply (1995, 71%; 2013, 45%). Caries experience declined in nearly all socioeconomic subgroups and municipalities. However, geographic inequalities persisted with higher caries levels largely concentrated in the relatively deprived areas of Denmark. Increasing relative socioeconomic inequalities in caries over time were observed with significant graded associations between SEP and caries despite adjustment for the various individual and neighborhood-level covariates and the effect of assessment year (e.g., 15-year-olds with parents having basic education had 1.91-fold [95% CI: 1.86-1.95] higher caries experience than those having parents with high education).

CONCLUSIONS

Reducing these enduring inequalities will likely require additional resources and targeted supportive and preventive measures for adolescents from lower SEP backgrounds and those residing in municipalities with higher caries prevalence.

Video triage in calls concerning children with fever at an out-of-hours medical helpline: a prospective quality improvement study

BACKGROUND

Parents often contact out-of-hours services due to worry concerning febrile children, despite the children rarely being severely ill. As telephone triage of children is challenging, many children are referred to hospital assessment. This study investigated if video triage resulted in more children staying at home. Secondary aims included safety, acceptability and feasibility of this new triage tool.

METHODS

In this prospective quality improvement study, nurse call-handlers enrolled febrile children aged 3 months-5 years to video or telephone triage (1:1), with follow-up within 48 h after call. The setting was an out-of-hours call-center for non-urgent illness in Copenhagen, Denmark, receiving over 1 million calls annually and predominately staffed by registered nurses. Main outcome measure was difference in number of children assessed at hospital within 8 h after call between video-and telephone triage group. Rates of feasibility, acceptability and safety (death, lasting means, transfer to intensive care unit) were compared between the triage groups.

RESULTS

There was no difference in triage outcome (home care vs. hospital referral) or number of patients assessed at hospital between triage groups. However, more video triaged patients received in-hospital treatment, testing and hospitalization.

CONCLUSION

Video triage was feasible to conduct, acceptable to parents and as safe as telephone triage. The study did not show that more children stayed at home after video triage, possibly because the allocation strategy was not upheld, as video triage sometimes was chosen in cases of complex and severe symptoms, and this likely has changed study outcome.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Clinicaltrials.gov.: Id NCT04074239. Registered 2019-08-30. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/study/NCT04074239.

Geographical Association Between Basic Life Support Courses and Bystander Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Survival from OHCA in Denmark

Introduction

Annually, approximately 4% of the entire adult population of Denmark participate in certified basic life support (BLS) courses. It is still unknown whether increases in BLS course participation in a geographical area increase bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) or survival from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). The aim of the study was to examine the geographical association between BLS course participation, bystander CPR, and 30-day survival from OHCA.

Methods

This nationwide register-based cohort study includes all OHCAs from the Danish Cardiac Arrest Register. Data concerning BLS course participation were supplied by the major Danish BLS course providers. A total of 704,234 individuals with BLS course certificates and 15,097 OHCA were included from the period 2016-2019. Associations were examined using logistic regression and Bayesian conditional autoregressive analyses conducted at municipality level.

Results

A 5% increase in BLS course certificates at municipality level was significantly associated with an increased likelihood of bystander CPR prior to ambulance arrival with an adjusted odds ratio (OR) of 1.34 (credible intervals: 1.02;1.76). The same trends were observed for OHCAs in out-of-office hours (4pm-08am) with a significant OR of 1.43 (credible intervals: 1.09;1.89). Local clusters with low rate of BLS course participation and bystander CPR were identified.

Conclusion

This study found a positive effect of mass education in BLS on bystander CPR rates. Even a 5% increase in BLS course participation at municipal level significantly increased the likelihood of bystander CPR. The effect was even more profound in out-of-office hours with an increase in bystander CPR rate at OHCA.

Symptoms in the acute phase of SARS-CoV-2 infection among Danish children aged 0-14 years

Objectives

To investigate the prevalence and burden of proxy-reported acute symptoms in children in the first 4 weeks after detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, and factors associated with symptom burden.

Methods

Nationwide cross-sectional survey using parental proxy reporting of symptoms associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. In July 2021, a survey was sent to the mothers of all Danish children aged 0-14 years with a positive SARS-CoV-2 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test between January 2020 and July 2021. The survey included 17 symptoms associated with acute SARS-CoV-2 infection and questions about comorbidities.

Results

Of 38,152 children with a positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR test, 10,994 (28.8%) mothers responded. The median age was 10.2 (range 0.2-16.0) years and 51.8% were male. Among participants, 54.2% (n=5957) reported no symptoms, 43.7% (n=4807) reported mild symptoms, and 2.1% (n=230) reported severe symptoms. The most common symptoms were fever (25.0%), headache (22.5%) and sore throat (18.4%). Asthma {odds ratio (OR) 1.91 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.57-2.32) and OR 2.11 (95% CI 1.36-3.28)}, allergy [OR 1.31 (95% CI 1.14-1.52) and OR 1.70 (95% CI 1.18-2.46], eczema [OR 1.43 (95% CI 1.20-1.71) and OR 2.03 (95% CI 1.38-2.97)] and OCD/anxiety/depression [OR 2.06 (95% CI 1.39-3.06) and OR 3.79 (95% CI 1.80-7.97)] were associated with reporting a higher symptom burden [values indicate outcomes reporting three or more acute symptoms (upper quartile) and reporting a severe symptom burden, respectively]. The highest prevalence of symptoms was found among children aged 0-2 and 12-14 years.

Conclusions

Among SARS-CoV-2-positive children aged 0-14 years, approximately half reported no acute symptoms within the first 4 weeks after a positive PCR test. Most symptomatic children reported mild symptoms. Several comorbidities were associated with reporting a higher symptom burden.

Association Between Estimated Geocoded Residential Maternal Exposure to Lithium in Drinking Water and Risk for Autism Spectrum Disorder in Offspring in Denmark

Importance

Lithium is a naturally occurring and trace element that has mood-stabilizing effects. Maternal therapeutic use of lithium has been associated with adverse birth outcomes. In animal models, lithium modulates Wnt/β-catenin signaling that is important for neurodevelopment. It is unknown whether exposure to lithium in drinking water affects brain health in early life.

Objective

To evaluate whether autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in offspring is associated with maternal exposure to lithium in drinking water during pregnancy.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This nationwide population-based case-control study in Denmark identified 8842 children diagnosed with ASD born from 2000 through 2013 and 43 864 control participants matched by birth year and sex from the Danish Medical Birth Registry. These data were analyzed from March 2021 through November 2022.

Exposures

Geocoded maternal residential addresses during pregnancy were linked to lithium level (range, 0.6 to 30.7 μg/L) in drinking water estimated using kriging interpolation based on 151 waterworks measurements of lithium across all regions in Denmark.

Main Outcomes and Measures

ASD diagnoses were ascertained using International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision codes recorded in the Danish Psychiatric Central Register. The study team estimated odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CIs for ASD according to estimated geocoded maternal exposure to natural source of lithium in drinking water as a continuous (per IQR) or a categorical (quartile) variable, adjusting for sociodemographic factors and ambient air pollutants levels. The study team also conducted stratified analyses by birth years, child's sex, and urbanicity.

Results

A total of 8842 participants with ASD (male, 7009 [79.3%]) and 43 864 control participants (male, 34 749 [79.2%]) were studied. Every IQR increase in estimated geocoded maternal exposure to natural source of lithium in drinking water was associated with higher odds for ASD in offspring (OR, 1.23; 95% CI, 1.17-1.29). Elevated odds among offspring for ASD were estimated starting from the second quartile (7.36 to 12.67 μg/L) of estimated maternal exposure to drinking water with lithium and the OR for the highest quartile (more than 16.78 μg/L) compared with the reference group (less than 7.39 μg/L) was 1.46 (95% CI, 1.35-1.59). The associations were unchanged when adjusting for air pollution exposures and no differences were apparent in stratified analyses.

Conclusions and Relevance

Estimated maternal prenatal exposure to lithium from naturally occurring drinking water sources in Denmark was associated with an increased ASD risk in the offspring. This study suggests that naturally occurring lithium in drinking water may be a novel environmental risk factor for ASD development that requires further scrutiny.

Symptom-Specific Hospital Contacts in 12-18-Year-Olds Vaccinated against COVID-19: A Danish Register-Based Cohort Study

In this register-based real-life cohort study, changes in symptom-specific hospital contacts among 12-18-year-olds following two doses of the BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccine compared to unvaccinated peers were investigated. Using national register data, vaccinated and unvaccinated adolescents were sex and age-matched each week during the inclusion period from May to September 2021. Symptom-specific hospital contacts covering ICD-10 R diagnoses were assessed before first the vaccine dose and after the second vaccine dose. Taking previous rates of symptom-specific hospital contacts into account, differences between vaccinated and unvaccinated adolescents were found. For some hospital contacts, higher rates were seen among the vaccinated, and for others, higher rates were seen among the unvaccinated. Unspecific cognition symptoms may be important to monitor in vaccinated girls, and likewise for throat and chest pain in vaccinated boys within the first months post-vaccination. In perspective, symptom-specific hospital contacts after vaccination against COVID-19 must be assessed by taking the risk of infection and symptoms following COVID-19 infection into account.

Trends in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol goal achievement and changes in lipid-lowering therapy after incident atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease: Danish cohort study

BACKGROUND

We aimed to investigate trends in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) goal achievement (LDL-C<1.8 mmol/L, equivalent to 70 mg/dL), initiation of lipid-lowering therapy (LLT) and changes in LLT intensity in individuals with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) at very high risk of recurrent cardiovascular disease.

METHODS

A cohort study design was used including individuals with incident ASCVD and LDL-C≥1.8 mmol/L in 2010-2015. Data were obtained from national, population-based registers (patient, prescription, income, and laboratory).

RESULTS

We included 11,997 individuals. Acute myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke and stable angina pectoris accounted for 79.6% of the qualifying ASCVD events. At inclusion, 37.2% were in LLT. Mean LDL-C before or during ASCVD hospitalization was 3.1 mmol/L (120 mg/dL). LDL-C goal achievement increased within the first two years after inclusion from 40.5% to 50.6%. LLT initiation within the first 90 days increased from 48.6% to 56.0%. Initiation of intensive LLT increased from 9.6% to 32.8%. The largest change in LLT intensity was seen in the period 180 days before to 90 days after discharge with 2.2% in 2010 to 12.1% in 2015.

CONCLUSION

LDL-C goal achievement within the first 2 years after inclusion increased from 40.5% in 2010 to 50.6% in 2015. LLT initiation within the first year after inclusion increased, especially for intensive LLT, although only one third initiated intensive LLT in 2015. Despite trends show improvements in LDL-C goal achievement, 49.4% of individuals at very high risk of a CV event did not achieve the LDL-C goal within 2 years after ASCVD hospitalization.

Association of Degree of Urbanization and Survival in Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest

Background Survival from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) varies across regions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between urbanization (rural, suburban, and urban areas), bystander interventions (cardiopulmonary resuscitation and defibrillation), and 30-day survival from OHCAs in Denmark. Methods and Results We included OHCAs not witnessed by ambulance staff in Denmark from January 1, 2016, to December 31, 2020. Patients were divided according to the Eurostat Degree of Urbanization Tool in rural, suburban, and urban areas based on the 98 Danish municipalities. Poisson regression was used to estimate incidence rate ratios. Logistic regression (adjusted for ambulance response time) tested differences between the groups with respect to bystander interventions and survival, according to degree of urbanization. A total of 21 385 OHCAs were included, of which 8496 (40%) occurred in rural areas, 7025 (33%) occurred in suburban areas, and 5864 (27%) occurred in urban areas. Baseline characteristics, as age, sex, location of OHCA, and comorbidities, were comparable between groups. The annual incidence rate ratio of OHCA was higher in rural areas (1.54 [95% CI, 1.48-1.58]) compared with urban areas. Odds for bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation were lower in suburban (0.86 [95% CI, 0.82-0.96]) and urban areas (0.87 [95% CI, 0.80-0.95]) compared with rural areas, whereas bystander defibrillation was higher in urban areas compared with rural areas (1.15 [95% CI, 1.01-1.31]). Finally, 30-day survival was higher in suburban (1.13 [95% CI, 1.02-1.25]) and urban areas (1.17 [95% CI, 1.05-1.30]) compared with rural areas. Conclusions Degree of urbanization was associated with lower rates of bystander defibrillation and 30-day survival in rural areas compared with urban areas.

Training in Basic Life Support and Bystander-Performed Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Survival in Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrests in Denmark, 2005 to 2019

IMPORTANCE

Strategies to improve survival from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) include mass education of laypersons with no official duty to respond to OHCA. In Denmark, basic life support (BLS) course attendance has been mandated by law in October 2006 for obtaining a driver's license for all vehicles and in vocational education programs.

OBJECTIVES

To examine the association between yearly BLS course participation rate and bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and 30-day survival from OHCA and to examine if bystander CPR rate acted as a mediator on the association between mass education of laypersons in BLS and survival from OHCA.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This cohort study included outcomes for all OHCA incidents from the Danish Cardiac Arrest Register between 2005 and 2019. Data concerning BLS course participation were supplied by the major Danish BLS course providers.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

The main outcome was 30-day survival of patients who experienced OHCA. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the association between BLS training rate, bystander CPR rate, and survival, and a bayesian mediation analysis was conducted to examine mediation.

RESULTS

A total of 51 057 OHCA incidents and 2 717 933 course certificates were included. The study showed that the annual 30-day survival from OHCA increased by 14% (odds ratio [OR], 1.14; 95% CI, 1.10-1.18; P < .001) when BLS course participation rate increased by 5% in analysis adjusted for initial rhythm, automatic external defibrillator use, and mean age. An average mediated proportion of 0.39 (95% QBCI, 0.049-0.818; P = .01). In other words, the last result indicated that 39% of the association between mass educating laypersons in BLS and survival was mediated through an increased bystander CPR rate.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

In this cohort study of Danish BLS course participation and survival, a positive association was found between annual rate of mass education in BLS and 30-day survival from OHCA. The association of BLS course participation rate on 30-day survival was mediated by the bystander CPR rate; approximately 60% of the association of BLS course participation rate on 30-day survival was based on factors other than increased CPR rates.

Association Between Number of Volunteer Responders and Interventions Before Ambulance Arrival for Cardiac Arrest

BACKGROUND

Volunteer responder (VR) programs for activation of laypersons in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) have been deployed worldwide, but the optimal number of VRs to dispatch is unknown.

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between the number of VRs arriving before Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and the proportion of bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and defibrillation.

METHODS

We included OHCAs not witnessed by EMS with VR activation from the Capital Region (September 2, 2017, to May 14, 2019) and the Central Region of Denmark (November 5, 2018, to December 31, 2019). We created 4 groups according to the number of VRs arriving before EMS: 0, 1, 2, and 3 or more. Using a logistic regression model adjusted for EMS response time, we examined associations between the number of VRs arriving before EMS and bystander CPR and defibrillation.

RESULTS

We included 906 OHCAs. The adjusted ORs for bystander CPR were 2.40 (95% CI: 1.42-4.05), 3.18 (95% CI: 1.39-7.26), and 2.70 (95% CI: 1.32-5.52) when 1, 2, or 3 or more VRs arrived before EMS (reference), respectively. The adjusted OR for bystander defibrillation increased when 1 (1.97 [95% CI: 1.12-3.52]), 2 (2.88 [95% CI: 1.48-5.58]), or 3 or more (3.85 [95% CI: 2.11-7.01]) VRs arrived before EMS (reference). The adjusted OR of bystander defibrillation increased to 1.95 (95% CI: 1.18-3.22) when ≥3 VRs arrived first compared with 1 VR arriving first (reference).

CONCLUSIONS

We found an association of increased bystander CPR and defibrillation when 1 or more VRs arrived before the EMS with a trend toward increased bystander defibrillation with increasing number of VRs arriving first.

When the machine is wrong. Characteristics of true and false predictions of Out-of-Hospital Cardiac arrests in emergency calls using a machine-learning model

BACKGROUND

A machine-learning model trained to recognize emergency calls regarding Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest (OHCA) was tested in clinical practice at Copenhagen Emergency Medical Services (EMS) from September 2018 to December 2019. We aimed to investigate emergency call characteristics where the machine-learning model failed to recognize OHCA or misinterpreted a call as being OHCA.

METHODS

All emergency calls were linked to the dispatch database and verified OHCAs were identified by linkage to the Danish Cardiac Arrest Registry. Calls with either false negative or false positive predictions of OHCA were evaluated by trained auditors. Descriptive analyses were performed with absolute numbers and percentages reported.

RESULTS

The machine-learning model processed 169,236 calls to Copenhagen EMS and suspected 5,811 (3.4%) of the calls as OHCA, resulting in 84.5% sensitivity and 97.1% specificity. Among OHCAs not recognised by machine-learning model, a condition completely different from OHCA was presented by caller in 31% of the cases. In 28% of unrecognised calls, patient was reported breathing normally, and language barriers were identified in 23% of the cases. Among falsely suspected OHCA, the patient was reported unconscious in 28% of the cases, and in 13% of the false positive cases the machine-learning model interpreted calls regarding dead patients with irreversible signs of death as OHCA.

CONCLUSION

Continuous optimization of the language model is needed to improve the prediction of OHCA and thereby improve sensitivity and specificity of the machine-learning model on recognising OHCA in emergency telephone calls.

The Association between Perceived Annoyances in the Indoor Home Environment and Respiratory Infections: A Danish Cohort Study with up to 19 Years of Follow-Up

The increasing prevalence of reported annoyances in the indoor environment threatens public health. This study aimed to investigate the association between perceived annoyances from the home environment and respiratory infections among individuals with and without asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). A total of 16,688 individuals from the Danish Health and Morbidity Survey initiated in 2000 were grouped according to their patterns of perceived annoyances. Information on respiratory infections (all causes, bacterial, viral, and those leading to hospital admissions) was obtained from Danish registers up to 19 years after the survey. Poisson regression of incidence rates (IRs) was applied to estimate incidence rate ratios (IRRs). Annoyances significantly increased the IR for respiratory infections of all causes and bacterial respiratory infections in individuals without asthma or COPD, adjusted IRR 1.16 (95% CI: 1.01, 1.34) and 1.15 (95% CI: 1.02, 1.31), respectively. However, no difference was observed for viral respiratory infections nor hospital admissions. Individuals with asthma or COPD and a high level of annoyances had a non-significantly increased IR in all four analyses of respiratory infections. These findings provide support for perceived annoyances as an important risk factor for respiratory infections.

Video triage of children with respiratory symptoms at a medical helpline is safe and feasible-a prospective quality improvement study

BACKGROUND

Young children are among the most frequent patients at medical call centers, even though they are rarely severely ill. Respiratory tract symptoms are among the most prevalent reasons for contact in pediatric calls. Triage of children without visual cues and through second-hand information is perceived as difficult, with risks of over- and under-triage.

OBJECTIVE

To study the safety and feasibility of introducing video triage of young children with respiratory symptoms at the medical helpline 1813 (MH1813) in Copenhagen, Denmark, as well as impact on patient outcome.

METHODS

Prospective quality improvement study including 617 patients enrolled to video or standard telephone triage (1:1) from February 2019-March 2020. Data originated from MH1813 patient records, survey responses, and hospital charts. Primary outcome was difference in patients staying at home eight hours after the call. Secondary outcomes weas hospital outcome, feasibility and acceptability. Adverse events (intensive care unit admittance, lasting injuries, death) were registered. Logistic regression was used to test the effect on outcomes. The COVID-19 pandemic shut the study down prematurely.

RESULTS

In total, 54% of the included patients were video-triaged., and 63% of video triaged patients and 58% of telephone triaged patients were triaged to stay at home, (p = 0.19). Within eight and 24 hours, there was a tendency of fewer video-triaged patients being assessed at hospitals: 39% versus 46% (p = 0.07) and 41% versus 49% (p = 0.07), respectively. At 24 hours after the call, 2.8% of the patients were hospitalized for at least 12 hours. Video triage was highly feasible and acceptable (>90%) and no adverse events were registered.

CONCLUSION

Video triage of young children with respiratory symptoms at a medical call center was safe and feasible. Only about 3% of all children needed hospitalization for at least 12 hours. Video triage may optimize hospital referrals and increase health care accessibility.

How parents express their worry in calls to a medical helpline: a mixed methods study

Background

Telephone triage is used globally in out-of-hours primary care, to prioritize who needs urgent assessment. Even though children rarely are severely ill, calls about sick children are among the most prevalent, mainly due to parental worry. Pediatric calls are considered challenging, as the call-handler must rely on parents’ second-hand information. We aimed to investigate if parents’ worry can be used as a predictor of severe illness, and if the content of the calls varies between different grades of worry.

Methods

In a convergent mixed methods study design we asked patients to rate their degree-of-worry before talking to a call-handler. We used quantitative data of degree-of-worry, triage- and patient outcome in pediatric calls (n = 2857), and the qualitative content from 54 calls with subsequent hospitalization ≥24 h.

Results

High degree-of-worry was associated with hospitalization ≥24 h (OR 3.33, 95% CI 1.53–7.21). Qualitative findings both confirmed and expanded knowledge of degree-of-worry. Worry was the predominant cause for contact overall, and was mainly triggered by loss-of-control. In calls with high degree-of-worry, the prevalence of loss-of-control was especially high, and the parents had additionally often contacted healthcare services recently. Parents with a foreign accent often rated their worry as high, and these callers were often ignored or interrupted. Calls with low degree-of-worry seemed to occur early during the disease.

Conclusion

High degree of parental worry was associated with severe illness. At the end of calls, call-handlers should ensure that the parent has regained control of the situation to reach increased reassurance and to prevent renewed unnecessary contact. Safety-netting is crucial, as many parents made contact early during the illness and deterioration may develop later. The scoring of parental degree-of-worry may be used as an indicator of potentially severe illness and can easily be implemented at out-of-hours call-centers globally.

Trial registration

Original study registered at clinicaltrials.gov (NCT02979457).

Increased bystander intervention when volunteer responders attend out-of-hospital cardiac arrest

Aim

The primary aim was to investigate the association between alarm acceptance compared to no-acceptance by volunteer responders, bystander intervention, and survival in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

Materials and methods

This retrospective observational study included all suspected out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCAs) with activation of volunteer responders in the Capital Region of Denmark (1 November 2018 to 14 May 2019), the Central Denmark Region (1 November 2018 to 31 December 2020), and the Northern Denmark Region (14 February 2020 to 31 December 2020). All OHCAs unwitnessed by Emergency Medical Services (EMS) were analyzed on the basis on alarm acceptance and arrival before EMS. The primary outcomes were bystander cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR), bystander defibrillation and secondary outcome was 30-day survival. A questionnaire sent to all volunteer responders was used with respect to their arrival status.

Results

We identified 1,877 OHCAs with volunteer responder activation eligible for inclusion and 1,725 (91.9%) of these had at least one volunteer responder accepting the alarm (accepted). Of these, 1,355 (79%) reported arrival status whereof 883 (65%) arrived before EMS. When volunteer responders accepted the alarm and arrived before EMS, we found increased proportions and adjusted odds ratio for bystander CPR {94 vs. 83%, 4.31 [95% CI (2.43–7.67)] and bystander defibrillation [13 vs. 9%, 3.16 (1.60–6.25)]} compared to cases where no volunteer responders accepted the alarm.

Conclusion

We observed a fourfold increased odds ratio for bystander CPR and a threefold increased odds ratio for bystander defibrillation when volunteer responders accepted the alarm and arrived before EMS.

Short- and Long-Term Self-Reported Symptoms in Adolescents Aged 12-19 Years after Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 Compared to Adolescents Not Vaccinated-A Danish Retrospective Cohort Study

This study investigated self-reported short- and long-term symptoms among adolescents receiving the BNT162b2 (Pfizer/BioNTech) vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 and those who did not. A retrospective cohort study based on Danish national survey (collected between 20 July and 15 September 2021) and register data was conducted. Differences in short-term (<14 days) and long-term (>two months) symptoms were explored using logistic regression adjusted for confounders. A total of 747 vaccinated (first dose n = 326; second dose n = 421) and 6300 unvaccinated adolescents were included in analyses of short-term symptoms and 32 vaccinated and 704 unvaccinated adolescents in long-term symptom analyses. In the first 14 days after the first and second vaccine dose the most reported symptoms included headache and muscle or joint symptoms. In both vaccinated and unvaccinated adolescents, the 15−19-year-olds reported significantly higher proportions of all symptoms compared to the 12−14-year-olds. After the second vaccine dose vaccinated 12−14-year-olds reported significantly more headache in adjusted analyses (OR 2.20 (95% CI 1.24; 3.90)). Among the 15−19-year-olds, significantly more vaccinated adolescents reported gastrointestinal symptoms (1.38 (1.06; 1.81)), headache (1.66 (1.24; 2.22)), and tiredness (1.44 (1.08; 1.93)). No differences were found in long-term symptoms. Vaccinated adolescents reported significantly more short-term symptoms including headache, tiredness, and gastrointestinal symptoms after the second vaccine dose than unvaccinated adolescents. Long-term symptom results should be interpreted with caution due to limited sample size.

Patient safety culture and associated factors in secondary health care of the Capital Region of Denmark: influence of specialty, healthcare profession and gender

BACKGROUND

We aimed to explore (1) the influence of healthcare professionals' (HCPs') specialty, profession, gender and length of employment on their perception of six dimensions of patient safety culture (PSC) and (2) the relation between these characteristics and the two dimensions of safety climate and perception of management.

METHODS

In a cross-sectional study, a Danish version of the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire was sent to all HCPs at a large regional hospital organisation. This included hospitals, the Emergency Services, the Regional Pharmacy and the Centre for Diabetes corporations. A total of 30 230 HCPs received the survey. Differences between specialties, professions, gender and years of employment were tested for each dimension of PSC. Differences in mean attitude scores were tested using analysis of variance and differences in having a positive attitude were tested using logistic regression.

RESULTS

In total, 15 119 (50%) HCPs returned the survey. Significant differences are seen across hospitals and corporations for all dimensions of PSC. The proportion of HCPs with a positive attitude was largest regarding job satisfaction (74.8%) and lowest regarding perception of management (43.9%). Significant differences are seen in physicians' and nurses' perception of PSC in the different specialties within all dimensions of PSC except for the dimension of recognition of stress. Significant differences in positive perception of teamwork climate are seen between anaesthesiologists' (69.4%) and surgeons' (41.7%). No significant gender differences were found between physicians' and nurses' perception of safety climate and of management. In addition, we found an influence of years of employment on PSC.

DISCUSSION

Significant differences were found in HCPs' perception of PSC between corporations, specialties and professions. The lowest proportion of HCPs with a positive perception of PSC was found within the dimensions of safety climate and perception of management. These differences may have implications for teamwork and patient safety.

Mental wellbeing among Danish employees during the COVID-19 pandemic: results from a longitudinal study on the role of industry and working environment

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on working life. Previous studies have primarily focused on the mental health and wellbeing of healthcare workers and are mostly based on cross-sectional data from non-representative samples. The aim of this study was to investigate mental wellbeing trajectories among employees from different industries, and to longitudinally identify factors that affect mental wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic, including job insecurity, fear of COVID-19, working from home or being discharged with wage compensation and management quality.

Methods

Baseline data were obtained from the Danish Health and Wellbeing Survey in 2019 (September–December), with follow-up in September–November 2020. We included 1995 respondents, who completed the questionnaire in both waves and were employed in 2020 and measured mental wellbeing using the Short Warwick–Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale.

Results

Mental wellbeing declined among employees in all industries. Employees working from home and employees unsatisfied with management experienced a greater decline in mental wellbeing. We found no differences in mental wellbeing trajectories in relation to fear of infecting others or contracting COVID-19, job insecurity and being discharged with wage compensation.

Conclusions

Mental wellbeing declined among employees in all industries with no difference between industries. Employees working from home may have been particularly vulnerable, and the analyses show that managers play a key role in mitigating the negative consequences of the pandemic by ensuring adequate information and involvement of employees.

Patterns of Perceived Indoor Environment in Danish Homes

The indoor environment is composed of several exposures existing simultaneously. Therefore, it might be useful to combine exposures into common combined measures when used to assess the association with health. The aim of our study was to identify patterns of the perceived indoor environment. Data from the Danish Health and Morbidity Survey in the year 2000 were used. The perceived indoor environment was assessed using a questionnaire (e.g., annoyances from noise, draught, and stuffy air; 13 items in total). Factor analysis was used to explore the structure of relationships between these 13 items. Furthermore, groups of individuals with similar perceived indoor environment were identified using latent class analysis. A total of 16,688 individuals ≥16 years participated. Their median age was 46 years. Four factors were extracted from the factor analysis. The factors were characterized by: (1) a mixture of items, (2) temperature, (3) traffic, and (4) neighbor noise. Moreover, three groups of individuals sharing the same perception of their indoor environment were identified. They were characterized by: a low (n = 14,829), moderate (n = 980), and large number of annoyances (n = 879). Observational studies need to take this correlation and clustering of perceived annoyances into account when studying associations between the indoor environment and health.

Drinking water magnesium and cardiovascular mortality: A cohort study in Denmark, 2005-2016

INTRODUCTION

Cardiovascular diseases are globally a major cause of death. Magnesium deficiency is associated with several diseases including cardiovascular diseases.

OBJECTIVE

To examine if a low concentration of magnesium in drinking water is associated with increased cardiovascular mortality and mortality due to acute myocardial infarction and stroke.

METHODS

A nationwide population-based cohort study using national health registries was used. A total of 4,274,132 individuals aged 30 years or more were included. Magnesium concentration in drinking water was estimated by linkage of residential addresses in the period 2005-2016 with the national drinking water quality monitoring database. The association between magnesium concentration in drinking water and cardiovascular mortality and mortality due to acute myocardial infarction and stroke was examined using a Poisson regression of number of deaths and logarithmic transformation of follow-up time as offset. The incidence rate ratio (IRR) was adjusted for differences in age, sex, calendar year, cohabitation, country of origin, and socioeconomic status.

RESULTS

Median magnesium concentration in drinking water at inclusion was 12.4 mg/L (range: 1.37-54.2 mg/L). The adjusted IRR for cardiovascular mortality was 0.96 (95% CI: 0.94; 0.97) for the lowest magnesium quintile (<6.5 mg/L) as compared to the highest magnesium quintile (>21.9 mg/L). The adjusted IRR for mortality due to acute myocardial infarction and stroke was 1.22 (1.17; 1.27) and 0.96 (0.93; 0.99), respectively, for the lowest magnesium quintile as compared to the highest quintile A decreasing mortality due to acute myocardial infarction was seen with an increasing magnesium concentration in a dose-response manner.

CONCLUSION

Low concentrations of magnesium in drinking water were associated with an increased mortality due to acute myocardial infarction. Low concentrations of magnesium in drinking water were associated with decreased cardiovascular mortality, and mortality due to stroke.

Long COVID symptoms in SARS-CoV-2-positive children aged 0–14 years and matched controls in Denmark (LongCOVIDKidsDK): a national, cross-sectional study

Background

After the acute phase of SARS-CoV-2 infection, children can develop long COVID symptoms. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of long-lasting symptoms, the duration and intensity of symptoms, quality of life, number of sick days and absences from daycare or school, and psychological and social outcomes in children aged 0–14 years who had been infected with SARS-CoV-2 relative to controls with no history of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Methods

A nationwide cross-sectional study was conducted including children with a confirmed SARS-CoV-2-positive PCR test (cases) and matched controls from Danish national registers. A survey was sent to mothers (proxy reporting) of children aged 0–14 years who had had a positive SARS-CoV-2 test between Jan 1, 2020, and July 12, 2021, and a control group matched (1:4) by age and sex. The survey included the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) and the Children's Somatic Symptoms Inventory-24 (CSSI-24) to capture current overall health and wellbeing, and ancillary questions about the 23 most common long COVID symptoms. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis were used. Clinically relevant differences were defined as those with a Hedges' g score greater than 0·2. This study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04786353).

Findings

Responses to the survey were received from 10 997 (28·8%) of 38 152 cases and 33 016 (22·4%) of 147 212 controls between July 20, 2021, and Sept 15, 2021. Median age was 10·2 years (IQR 6·6–12·8) in cases and 10·6 years (6·9–12·9) in controls. 5267 (48·2%) cases and 15 777 (48·3%) controls were female, and 5658 (51·8%) cases and 16 870 (51·7%) controls were male. Cases had higher odds of reporting at least one symptom lasting more than 2 months than did controls in the 0–3 years age group (478 [40·0%] of 1194 vs 1049 [27·2%] of 3855; OR 1·78 [95% CI 1·55–2·04], p<0·0001), 4–11 years age group (1912 [38·1%] of 5023 vs 6189 [33·7%] of 18 372; 1·23 [1·15–1·31], p<0·0001), and 12–14 years age group (1313 [46·0%] of 2857 vs 4454 [41·3%] of 10 789; 1·21 [1·11–1·32], p<0·0001). Differences in CSSI-24 symptom scores between cases and controls were statistically significant but not clinically relevant. Small clinically relevant differences in PedsQL quality-of-life scores related to emotional functioning were found in favour of cases in the children aged 4–11 years (median score 80·0 [IQR 65·0–95·0]) in cases vs 75·0 [60·0–85·0] in controls; p<0·0001) and 12–14 years (90·0 [70·0–100·0] vs (85·0 [65·0–95·0], p<0·0001). PedsQL social functioning scores were also higher in cases (100·0 [90·0–100·0] than controls (95·0 [80·0–100·0]) in the 12–14 years age group (p<0·0001; Hedges g>0·2).

Interpretation

Compared with controls, children aged 0–14 years who had a SARS-CoV-2 infection had more prevalent long-lasting symptoms. There was a tendency towards better quality-of-life scores related to emotional and social functioning in cases than in controls in older children. The burden of symptoms among children in the control group requires attention. Long COVID must be recognised and multi-disciplinary long COVID clinics for children might be beneficial.

Funding

A P Møller and Chastine Mc-Kinney Møller Foundation.

Geographical inequalities in the decreasing 28-day mortality following incident acute myocardial infarction: a Danish register-based cohort study, 1987-2016

Background

Mortality following acute myocardial infarction (AMI) has decreased in western countries for decades; however, it remains unknown whether the decrease is distributed equally across the population independently of residential location. This study investigated whether the observed decreasing 28-day mortality following an incident AMI in Denmark from 1987 to 2016 varied geographically at municipality level after accounting for sociodemographic characteristics.

Methods

A register-based cohort study design was used to investigate 28-day mortality among individuals with an incident AMI. Global spatial autocorrelation (within sub-periods) was analysed at municipality level using Moran's I. Analysis of spatio-temporal autocorrelation before and after adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics was performed using logistic regression and conditional autoregressive models with inference in a Bayesian setting.

Results

In total, 368,839 individuals with incident AMI were registered between 1987 and 2016 in Denmark; 128,957 incident AMIs were fatal. The 28-day mortality decreased over time at national level with an odds ratio of 0.788 (95% credible interval (0.784, 0.792)) per 5-year period after adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics. The decrease in the 28-day mortality was geographically unequally distributed across the country and in a geographical region in northern Jutland, the 28-day mortality decreased significantly slower (4–12%) than at national level.

Conclusions

During the period from 1987 to 2016, the 28-day mortality following an incident AMI decreased substantially in Denmark. However, in a local geographical region, the 28-day mortality decreased significantly slower than in the rest of the country both before and after adjusting for sociodemographic differences. Efforts should be made to keep geographical trend inequalities in the 28-day mortality to a minimum.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12872-022-02519-7.

Long-Term Cardiovascular Health After Pregnancy in Danish Women With Congenital Heart Disease. A Register-Based Cohort Study Between 1993 and 2016

Background Little is known about the impact of pregnancy on long-term cardiovascular health in individuals with congenital heart disease (CHD). We aimed to determine if giving birth in patients with CHD is associated with higher risk of long-term cardiovascular morbidity. Methods and Results We studied a cohort of 1262 individuals with CHD giving birth (live or still) from 1993 to 2015 using Danish nationwide registers. We randomly sampled a comparison cohort matched on age of women with CHD who had not given birth at the time. We balanced the 2 cohorts on baseline demographic (eg, education) and clinical variables (eg, CHD severity) using inverse probability of treatment weighting. Individuals were followed for critical (eg, heart failure), other cardiovascular morbidity (eg, arrhythmia), and cardiac surgery/interventions after pregnancy. Individuals were followed for median 6.0 years (interquartile range 3.2-9.2). Among individuals giving birth the incidence rate per 1000 person-years was 1.6, 10.0, and 6.0 for critical and other cardiovascular morbidity and cardiac surgery, respectively. There was no overall difference in risk of neither critical and other cardiovascular morbidity nor cardiac surgery among individuals who gave birth and individuals who did not; adjusted hazard ratios (aHR) were 0.74 (95% CI, 0.37-1.48), 0.88 (95% CI, 0.65-1.19), and 0.78 (95% C,I 0.54-1.12), respectively. However, individuals with obstetric complications had a higher long-term risk of other cardiovascular morbidity (aHR, 1.85; 95% CI, 1.07-3.20). Conclusions Giving birth seemed not to be associated with a higher risk of long-term cardiovascular morbidity among women with CHD. However, individuals having obstetric complications had a higher risk of other cardiovascular morbidity in the long term.

Maternal exposure to arsenic in drinking water and risk of congenital heart disease in the offspring

INTRODUCTION

Prenatal exposure to arsenic is suspected to impair fetal health, including congenital malformations. Few studies investigated an association between maternal exposure to arsenic and congenital heart disease.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the association between maternal exposure to arsenic through drinking water and congenital heart disease among offspring.

METHODS

This nationwide cohort study included all liveborn children in Denmark, 1997-2014. Maternal addresses at fetal age 4 weeks were linked to drinking water supply areas. Exposure was arsenic concentration in drinking water in first trimester in four categories (<0.5 μg/L, 0.5-0.9 μg/L, 1.0-4.9 μg/L, ≥5.0 μg/L). Outcomes were defined as congenital heart disease diagnosed within the first year of life, with sub-categorization of severe, septal defects and valvular heart defect. Associations between arsenic levels and congenital heart disease were analysed using logistic regression, presented as odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI), and adjusted for year of birth, mother's educational level and ethnicity.

RESULTS

A total of 1,042,413 liveborn children were included of whom 1.0% had a congenital heart disease. The OR of congenital heart disease was higher among children exposed to all levels of arsenic above 0.5 μg/L; the OR was 1.13 (95% CI: 1.08-1.19) for exposure of 0.5-0.9 μg/L, 1.33 (95% CI: 1.27-1.39) for 1.0-4.9 μg/L and 1.42 (95% CI: 1.24-1.63) for ≥5.0 μg/L. Similar associations were observed for congenital septal defects. The OR was also higher for severe congenital heart disease but at the same level among all exposure levels ≥0.5 μg/L. The OR of congenital valvular heart defects was only higher among children with maternal exposure to arsenic in drinking water ≥5.0 μg/L. The associations were similar for boys and girls.

CONCLUSION

The findings indicate that maternal exposure to arsenic in drinking water even at low concentrations (i.e., 0.5-0.9 μg/L) increased the risk of congenital heart disease in the offspring.

Geographical Distribution and Pattern of Pesticides in Danish Drinking Water 2002-2018: Reducing Data Complexity

Pesticides are a large and heterogenous group of chemicals with a complex geographic distribution in the environment. The purpose of this study was to explore the geographic distribution of pesticides in Danish drinking water and identify potential patterns in the grouping of pesticides. Our data included 899,169 analyses of 167 pesticides and metabolites, of which 55 were identified above the detection limit. Pesticide patterns were defined by (1) pesticide groups based on chemical structure and pesticide-metabolite relations and (2) an exploratory factor analysis identifying underlying patterns of related pesticides within waterworks. The geographic distribution was evaluated by mapping the pesticide categories for groups and factor components, namely those detected, quantified, above quality standards, and not analysed. We identified five and seven factor components for the periods 2002-2011 and 2012-2018, respectively. In total, 16 pesticide groups were identified, of which six were representative in space and time with regards to the number of waterworks and analyses, namely benzothiazinone, benzonitriles, organophosphates, phenoxy herbicides, triazines, and triazinones. Pesticide mapping identified areas where multiple pesticides were detected, indicating areas with a higher pesticide burden. The results contribute to a better understanding of the pesticide pattern in Danish drinking water and may contribute to exposure assessments for future epidemiological studies.

Association between magnesium in drinking water and atrial fibrillation incidence: a nationwide population-based cohort study, 2002-2015

BACKGROUND

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common heart rhythm disorder and a risk factor of adverse cardiovascular diseases. Established causes do not fully explain the risk of AF and unexplained risk factors might be related to the environment, e.g. magnesium in drinking water. Low magnesium levels in drinking water might be associated with higher risk of cardiovascular diseases including AF. With detailed individual data from nationwide registries and long-term magnesium exposure time series, we had a unique opportunity to investigate the association between magnesium in drinking water and AF.

OBJECTIVE

We evaluated the association between magnesium concentration in drinking water and AF risk.

METHODS

A nationwide register-based cohort study (2002-2015) was used including individuals aged ≥30 years. Addresses were linked with water supply areas (n = 2418) to obtain time-varying drinking water magnesium exposure at each address. Five exposure groups were defined based on a 5-year rolling time-weighted average magnesium concentration. AF incidence rate ratios (IRRs) between exposure groups were calculated using a Poisson regression of incidence rates, adjusted for sex, age, and socioeconomic position. Robustness of results was investigated with different exposure definitions.

RESULTS

The study included 4,264,809 individuals (44,731,694 person-years) whereof 222,998 experienced an incident AF. Magnesium exposure ranged from 0.5 to 62.0 mg/L (mean = 13.9 mg/L). Estimated IRR (95% CI) compared to the referent exposure group (< 5 mg/L) was 0.98 (0.97-1.00) for the second lowest exposure group (5-10 mg/L), and 1.07 (1.05-1.08) for the two highest exposure groups (15-62 mg/L). Strongest positive associations were observed among those aged ≥80 years and with lowest education group. An inverse association was found among individuals with highest education group.

CONCLUSION

There might be a small beneficial effect on AF of an increase in magnesium level in drinking water up to 10 mg/L, though an overall positive association was observed. The unexpected positive association and different associations observed for subgroups suggest a potential influence of unaccounted factors, particularly in vulnerable populations. Future research on magnesium in drinking water and cardiovascular diseases needs to focus on contextual risk factors, especially those potentially correlating with magnesium in drinking water.

Length of hospital stay after delivery among Danish women with congenital heart disease: a register-based cohort study

Background

The literature about the impact of congenital heart disease (CHD) on the length of hospital stay after delivery is limited, and nonexisting in a country with free and equal access to healthcare. We aimed to examine the hypothesis that Danish women with CHD have a longer hospital stay after delivery compared to women without CHD. Secondarily, we aimed to examine the hypothesis that cesarean section modifies the association.

Methods

The study was a national cohort study using Danish nationwide registers in 1997–2014. Maternal CHD was categorized as simple, moderate, or complex CHD. The comparison group consisted of women without CHD. Outcome of interest was length of hospital stay after delivery registered in complete days. Mode of delivery was categorized as cesarean section or vaginal delivery. Data was analyzed using a generalized linear model with a Poisson distribution.

Results

We included 939,678 births among 551,119 women. Women without CHD were on average admitted to the hospital for 3.6 (SD 3.7) days, whereas women with simple, moderate, and complex CHD were admitted for 3.9 (SD 4.4), 4.0 (SD 3.8) and 5.1 (SD 6.7) days, respectively. The adjusted length of hospital stay after delivery was 12% (relative ratio (RR) = 1.12, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.07–1.18), 14% (RR = 1.14, 95% CI: 1.07–1.21), and 45% (RR = 1.45, 95% CI: 1.24–1.70) longer among women with simple, moderate, and complex CHD, respectively, compared to women without CHD. The association between maternal CHD and length of hospital stay was not modified by mode of delivery (p-value of interaction = 0.62). Women who gave birth by cesarean section were on average admitted to the hospital for 2.7 days longer compared to women with vaginal delivery.

Conclusion

The hospital stay after delivery was significantly longer among women with CHD as compared to women without CHD. Further, higher complexity of CHD was associated with longer length of stay. Cesarean section did not modify the association.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12884-021-04286-3.

Decreasing mental well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic: A longitudinal study among Danes before and during the pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a huge impact on people's lives and may influence mental health in the general population. In a unique representative Danish longitudinal study, we examined mental well-being measured just before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Danish Health and Wellbeing Survey is the Danish contribution to the European Health Interview Survey. In this study, we included the wave from autumn 2019, which we re-invited in the autumn 2020. The study population consisted of 4,234 persons. The main outcome was mental well-being measured by the Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale (SWEMWBS). Linear and logistic regression models were conducted to evaluate change in SWEMWBS between 2019 and 2020. The SWEMWBS distribution was similar in 2019 and 2020, although the distribution moved to lower scores in 2020 compared to 2019. Mean SWEMWBS decreased significantly from 25.5 in 2019 to 24.6 in 2020 corresponding to a mean change of -1.0 (95%CI, -1.1. to -0.8). The proportion with low SWEMWBS increased from 16.5% in 2019 to 20.1% in 2020 (p < 0.001). The mean change was similar for men and women and for different age groups. The most negative development was observed among persons without depression or long-standing illnesses at baseline and among persons with higher educational level. Among persons with depression SWEMWBS increased. As expected, mental well-being significantly decreased in the adult Danish population during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, somewhat more unexpectedly, the decrease was most pronounced among persons without depression or long-standing illnesses and among higher educated groups.

Socio-demographic characteristics of basic life support course participants in Denmark

BACKGROUND

Bystander-initiated basic life support (BLS) plays an important role in improving survival after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. In 2009, laws mandating BLS course participation when acquiring a driver's licence were implemented in Denmark. The aim of this study was to characterise Danish BLS course participants.

METHODS

This study is a Danish, registry-based, follow-up study that examined all Danish BLS course participants from 2016 to 2019. Data concerning BLS course participation were supplied by the major Danish BLS course providers. Socio-economic and healthcare data on all Danish inhabitants were assessed using national registers from Statistics Denmark.

RESULTS

Between January 1, 2016, and January 1, 2020, 3.6% of the entire adult population of Denmark attended certified BLS courses annually. Since the implementation of a law mandating BLS course participation when acquiring a driver licence in 2009, approximately 44% of the adult population has participated in a BLS course. BLS course participants were commonly younger and healthier than the general population (mean 31.3 years old vs. 51.3 years old, P < 0.001). Furthermore, law-mandated BLS course participants had a lower disposable income (adjusted OR: 0.23; 95% CI: 0.23-0.23; P < 0.001) and were more likely to live in rural areas (adjusted OR: 0.57; 95% CI: 0.57-0.58; P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

In Denmark, 3.6% of the entire adult population attend certified courses annually. BLS participants are commonly male, younger, healthier, less likely to have small children in the household, and more likely to live in rural areas. Law-mandated BLS course participation prior to acquiring a driver's licence has been successful in reaching segments of the society that are known to have limited participation.

Helicopter emergency medical services missions to islands and the mainland during a 3-year period in Denmark: a population-based study on patient and sociodemographic characteristics, comorbidity, and use of healthcare services

Background

The Danish Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) is part of the Danish Emergency Medical Services System serving 5.7 million citizens with 1% living on islands not connected to the mainland by road. HEMS is dispatched based on pre-defined criteria including severity and urgency, and moreover to islands for less urgent cases, when rapid transport to further care is needed. The study aim was to characterize patient and sociodemographic factors, comorbidity and use of healthcare services for patients with HEMS missions to islands versus mainland.

Methods

Descriptive study of data from the HEMS database in a three-year period from 1 October 2014 to 30 September 2017. All missions in which a patient was either treated on scene or transported by HEMS were included.

Results

Of 5776 included HEMS missions, 1023 (17.7%) were island missions. In total, 90.2% of island missions resulted in patient transport by HEMS compared with 62.1% of missions to the mainland. Disease severity was serious or life-threatening in 34.7% of missions to islands compared with 65.1% of missions to mainland and less interventions were performed by HEMS on island missions. The disease pattern differed with more “Other diseases” registered on islands compared with the mainland where cardiovascular diseases and trauma were the leading causes of contact. Patients from islands were older than patients from the mainland. Sociodemographic characteristics varied between inhabiting island patients and mainland patients: more island patients lived alone, less were employed, more were retired, and more had low income. In addition, residing island patients had to a higher extend severe comorbidity and more contacts to general practitioners and hospitals compared with the mainland patients.

Conclusions

HEMS missions to islands count for 17.7% of HEMS missions and 90.2% of island missions result in patient transport. The island patients encountered by HEMS are less severely diseased or injured and interventions are less frequently performed. Residing island patients are older than mainland patients and have lower socioeconomic position, more comorbidities and a higher use of health care services. Whether these socio-economic differences result in longer hospital stay or higher mortality is still to be investigated.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13049-021-00963-6.

Assessment of breathing in cardiac arrest: a randomised controlled trial of three teaching methods among laypersons

Background

The aim of this trial was to compare a video- and a simulation-based teaching method to the conventional lecture-based method, hypothesizing that the video- and simulation-based teaching methods would lead to improved recognition of breathing patterns during cardiac arrest.

Methods

In this Danish, investigator-initiated, stratified, randomised controlled trial, adult laypersons (university students, military conscripts and elderly retirees) participating in European Resuscitation Council Basic Life Support courses were randomised to receive teaching on how to recognise breathing patterns using a lecture- (usual practice), a video-, or a simulation-based teaching method. The primary outcome was recognition of breathing patterns in nine videos of actors simulating normal breathing, no breathing, and agonal breathing (three of each). We analysed outcomes using logistic regression models and present results as odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) and P-values from likelihood ratio tests.

Results

One hundred fifty-three participants were included in the analyses from February 2, 2018 through May 21, 2019 and recognition of breathing patterns was statistically significantly different between the teaching methods (P = 0.013). Compared to lecture-based teaching (83% correct answers), both video- (90% correct answers; OR 1.77, 95% CI: 1.19–2.64) and simulation-based teaching (88% correct answers; OR 1.48; 95% CI: 1.01–2.17) led to significantly more correct answers. Video-based teaching was not statistically significantly different compared to simulation-based teaching (OR 1.20; 95% CI: 0.78–1.83).

Conclusion

Video- and simulation-based teaching methods led to improved recognition of breathing patterns among laypersons participating in adult Basic Life Support courses compared to the conventional lecture-based teaching method.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12873-021-00513-4.

Joint mapping of cardiovascular diseases: comparing the geographic patterns in incident acute myocardial infarction, stroke and atrial fibrillation, a Danish register-based cohort study 2014-15

BACKGROUND

Disease mapping aims at identifying geographic patterns in disease. This may provide a better understanding of disease aetiology and risk factors as well as enable targeted prevention and allocation of resources. Joint mapping of multiple diseases may lead to improved insights since e.g. similarities and differences between geographic patterns may reflect shared and disease-specific determinants of disease. The objective of this study was to compare the geographic patterns in incident acute myocardial infarction (AMI), stroke and atrial fibrillation (AF) using the unique, population-based Danish register data.

METHODS

Incident AMI, stroke and AF was modelled by a multivariate Poisson model including a disease-specific random effect of municipality modelled by a multivariate conditionally autoregressive (MCAR) structure. Analyses were adjusted for age, sex and income.

RESULTS

The study included 3.5 million adults contributing 6.8 million person-years. In total, 18,349 incident cases of AMI, 28,006 incident cases of stroke, and 39,040 incident cases of AF occurred. Estimated municipality-specific standardized incidence rates ranged from 0.76 to 1.35 for AMI, from 0.79 to 1.38 for stroke, and from 0.85 to 1.24 for AF. In all diseases, geographic variation with clusters of high or low risk of disease after adjustment was seen. The geographic patterns displayed overall similarities between the diseases, with stroke and AF having the strongest resemblances. The most notable difference was observed in Copenhagen (high risk of stroke and AF, low risk of AMI). AF showed the least geographic variation.

CONCLUSION

Using multiple-disease mapping, this study adds to the results of previous studies by enabling joint evaluation and comparison of the geographic patterns in AMI, stroke and AF. The simultaneous mapping of diseases displayed similarities and differences in occurrence that are non-assessable in traditional single-disease mapping studies. In addition to reflecting the fact that AF is a strong risk factor for stroke, the results suggested that AMI, stroke and AF share some, but not all environmental risk factors after accounting for age, sex and income (indicator of lifestyle and health behaviour).

Effect of Acupuncture on Cytokine Levels in Persons with Multiple Sclerosis: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: Cytokines have been found to play a role in the disease activity of multiple sclerosis (MS). Previous studies indicate that acupuncture can affect cytokine levels in persons with other inflammatory diseases. Objectives: The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of acupuncture on cytokine levels and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in persons with MS. Materials and Methods: A single-blind, randomized controlled trial was performed. Participants (n = 66) were randomized into three groups (real acupuncture, sham acupuncture, and reference). Participants in the real acupuncture and sham groups received six treatments during a period of 4 weeks. The serum levels of 11 pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines (IFNγ, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-12p70, IL-13, TNFα, IL-10, IL-4, IL-2, and IL-17A) were assessed at baseline, after 2 and 4 weeks of treatment, and 4 weeks after the final treatment. Changes in HRQoL were assessed using the Functional Assessment of Multiple Sclerosis questionnaire. Results: No statistically significant differences in plasma levels between the three groups were seen for either of the cytokines, nor were there any differences between the groups for HRQoL. Conclusions: In this study, the authors could not demonstrate that a 4-week acupuncture treatment had a measurable effect on the plasma levels of seven selected cytokines or on HRQoL among people with MS. The trial was registered with the ISRCTN registry as ISRCTN34352011.

Risk of Physical Injury for Dispatched Citizen Responders to Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest

Background

Citizen responder programs are implemented worldwide to dispatch volunteer citizens to participate in out‐of‐hospital cardiac arrest resuscitation. However, the risk of injuries in relation to activation is largely unknown. We aimed to assess the risk of physical injury for dispatched citizen responders.

Methods and Results

Since September 2017, citizen responders have been activated through a smartphone application when located close to a suspected cardiac arrest in the Capital Region of Denmark. A survey was sent to all activated citizen responders, including a specific question about risk of acquiring an injury during activation. We included all surveys from September 1, 2017, to May 15, 2020. From May 15, 2019, to May 15, 2020, we followed up on all survey nonresponders by phone call, e‐mail, or text messages to examine if nonresponders were at higher risk of severe or fatal injuries. In 1665 suspected out‐of‐hospital cardiac arrests, 9574 citizen responders were dispatched and 76.6% (7334) answered the question regarding physical injury. No injury was reported by 99.3% (7281) of the responders. Being at risk of physical injury was reported by 0.3% (24), whereas 0.4% (26) reported an injury (25 minor injuries and 1 severe injury [ankle fracture]). When following up on nonresponders (2472), we reached 99.1% (2449). No one reported acquired injuries, and only 1 reported being at risk of injury.

Conclusions

We found low risk of physical injury reported by volunteer citizen responders dispatched to out‐of‐hospital cardiac arrest. Risk of injury should be considered and monitored as a safety measure in citizen responder programs.

The Danish Health and Wellbeing Survey: Study design, response proportion and respondent characteristics

AIMS

This study aimed to describe the study design and respondent characteristics (including non-response analyses) of the Danish Health and Wellbeing Surveys in 2015 and 2019 and a follow-up survey that was carried out during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

METHODS

The Danish Health and Wellbeing Survey is the Danish part of the European Health Interview Survey (EHIS). The samples in 2015 (N=12,000) and 2019 (N=14,000) were both based on a simple random selection of individuals aged ⩾15 years from the Danish Civil Registration System. All individuals from the sample in 2019 who were still alive and living in Denmark were reinvited for a follow-up survey in 2020 (N=13,474). Data in all surveys were collected via self-administered questionnaires (web or paper based). The questionnaires in 2015 and 2019 included the EHIS model questionnaire as well as national questions, whereas the questionnaire in 2020 mainly focused on physical and mental health, employment and working lives, and health behaviour.

RESULTS

The overall response proportion declined slightly between 2015 (48.4%) and 2019 (47.4%) but went up to 49.8% in the follow-up survey in 2020. Unit non-response was associated with, for example, male sex, younger age, being unmarried and lower educational level but not with degree of urbanisation. In all, 5000 individuals completed the questionnaire in both 2019 and 2020.

CONCLUSIONS

The results are in line with most previous research on non-response in health surveys. However, an association between degree of urbanisation and non-response has been suggested in previous studies. This association was not found in our study.

Predictors of high and low mental well-being and common mental disorders: findings from a Danish population-based study

Background

Mental well-being is fundamental for a good life. Previous literature has examined the predictors of mental disorders and continuous measures of positive mental health. Very few studies have specifically focused on the predictors of different levels of mental well-being, but those that have suggest a different picture. This study aimed to compare socioeconomic and relational/recreational behaviour predictors of different levels of mental well-being as well as common mental disorders (CMDs).

Methods

Data from 3508 adults aged 16+ years old from the Danish Mental Health and Well-Being Survey 2016 were linked to Danish national register-based data. Mental well-being was assessed using the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale, and information on CMDs was assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-4). Regression analyses were conducted to estimate the predictors of low and high mental well-being compared to moderate mental well-being and also of CMDs.

Results

Lower socioeconomic position (education, income and employment status) was associated with increased odds of low mental well-being and the presence of CMDs, but did not significantly predict high mental well-being. Relational/recreational behaviours (informal and formal social participation, social support and recreational activity) were associated with reduced odds of low mental well-being and CMDs, and also with increased odds of high mental well-being.

Conclusions

Socioeconomic predictors of high mental well-being do not mirror those of low mental well-being and CMDs, whereas relational/recreational predictors of high mental well-being do mirror those of low mental well-being and CMDs. These findings have important implications for public mental health strategies.

SARS-CoV-2 in saliva, oropharyngeal and nasopharyngeal specimens

INTRODUCTION

The reference test to evaluate patients with suspected respiratory virus infection is a real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) from a nasopharyngeal swab (NPS). However, other specimen collection methods such as an oropharyngeal swab (OPS) or saliva specimen are also used for SARS-CoV-2 testing during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. However, it remains unclear if rates of SARS-CoV-2 detection differ between sampling methods. This study will compare the rates of SARS-CoV-2 detection by saliva, OPS, and NPS sampling in a public setting.

METHODS

Individuals referred for outpatient SARS-CoV-2 testing will be invited to participate in a prospective clinical study. They will have saliva, OPS and NPS specimens collected that will be analysed separately for SARS-CoV-2 RNA by RT-PCR. The rate of SARS-CoV-2 detection in saliva, OPS and NPS will be compared using a logistic regression mixed-effect model analysis. A sample of 19,110 participants is required at an expected 1.5% test-positive rate in order to detect a 25.6% difference. The total sample size will be adjusted as the test-positive rate changes.

CONCLUSIONS

This study will provide evidence for the optimal site of specimen collection to detect SARS-CoV-2. The results may help guide the health authorities.

FUNDING

This is an investigator-initiated trial based on an unrestricted grant from the Novo Nordisk Foundation and the Aage og Johanne Louis-Hansens Fond. The foundations have had no say in the decisions on study design or reporting.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov (ID: NCT04715607).

Geographical variation and clustering are found in atrial fibrillation beyond socioeconomic differences: a Danish cohort study, 1987-2015

BACKGROUND

The prevalence and incidence rate of atrial fibrillation (AF) increase worldwide and AF is a risk factor for more adverse cardiovascular diseases including stroke. Approximately 44% of AF cases cannot be explained by common individual risk factors and risk might therefore also be related to the environment. By studying geographical variation and clustering in risk of incident AF adjusted for socioeconomic position at an individual level, potential neighbourhood risk factors could be revealed.

METHODS

Initially, yearly AF incidence rates 1987-2015 were estimated overall and stratified by income in a register-based cohort study. To examine geographical variation and clustering in AF, we used both spatial scan statistics and a hierarchical Bayesian Poisson regression analysis of AF incidence rates with random effect of municipalities (n = 98) in Denmark in 2011-2015.

RESULTS

The 1987-2015 cohort included 5,453,639 individuals whereof 369,800 were diagnosed with an incident AF. AF incidence rate increased from 174 to 576 per 100,000 person-years from 1987 to 2015. Inequality in AF incidence rate ratio between highest and lowest income groups increased from 23% in 1987 to 38% in 2015. We found clustering and geographical variation in AF incidence rates, with incidence rates at municipality level being up to 34% higher than the country mean after adjusting for socioeconomic position.

CONCLUSIONS

Geographical variations and clustering in AF incidence rates exist. Compared to previous studies from Alberta, Canada and the United States, we show that geographical variations exist in a country with free access to healthcare and even when accounting for socioeconomic differences at an individual level. An increasing social inequality in AF was seen from 1987 to 2015. Therefore, when planning prevention strategies, attention to individuals with low income should be given. Further studies focusing on identification of neighbourhood risk factors for AF are needed.

Data concerning the Copenhagen tool: A research tool for evaluation of basic life Support educational interventions

The data presented in this article are supplementary data related to the research article entitled "The Copenhagen Tool: A research tool for evaluation of BLS educational interventions" (Jensen et al., 2019). We present the following supplementary materials and data: 1) a standardized scenario used to introduce the test for gathering data on internal structure and additional response process; 2) test sheets used for rating test participant via video recordings; 3) interview-guide for collecting additional response process data; 4) items deemed relevant but not essential for laypersons, first responders and health personnel in the modified Delphi consensus process; 5) inter-rater reliability values for raters using the essential items of the tool to evaluate test participants via video recordings; 6) main themes from coding interviews with raters; 7) comparison of rater results and manikin software output.