Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survival rates have yet to return to pre-pandemic levels, particularly among Black and Hispanic communities, according to a study published March 12 in Resuscitation.
Led by researchers from Dallas-based University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, the study aimed to compare out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survival rates from before, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Here are five notes on the study results:
- The researchers analyzed data from 506,419 patients found in the Cardiac Arrest Registry to Enhance Survival database from 30 states and selected communities in 16 additional states, according to a May 27 news release from UT Southwestern.
- The pre-pandemic out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survival rate was 9.9% overall, 7.9% in majority Black and Hispanic communities, 10.7% in integrated communities and 11.1% in majority white communities.
- In 2020, the out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survival rate decreased by 9% overall, by 16.5% among majority Black and Hispanic communities, by 8.1% among majority white communities and by 6.5% among integrated communities.
- Between 2021 and 2022, there was no significant change in the overall out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survival rate. Despite “modest improvement” found within majority Black and Hispanic communities, survival rates have continued to remain lower compared to integrated and majority white communities.
- The 2020 decrease in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survival may be partially attributable to drug overdoses, which continued to rise through 2022, the news release said.
Read the full study here.
