Bystander CPR less likely for African-American children from the most disadvantaged areas

According to a new study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, African-American children living in socio-economically disadvantaged neighborhoods are significantly less likely than their Caucasian counterparts living in disadvantaged or wealthier areas to benefit from the CPR of a spectator.,Open Access Journal of the American Heart Association / American Stroke Association.

Previous studies have examined occasional SPC rates in adults, but this is the first time that racial and socio-economic factors are badyzed exclusively among children in the United States.

According to statistics from the American Heart Association, approximately 7,000 children suffer from cardiac arrest outside the hospital each year.

Investigators at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) used the CARES (Cardiac Outbreak Registry to Improve Survival) database to examine factors affecting CPR rates among observers. pediatric cardiac arrests outside the hospital from 2013-2017.

A total of 7,086 cardiac arrests were recorded in the CARES coverage area between 2013 and 2017, of which 61% were in infants, 60% were boys, 31% were white children, 31% were black children, 10 , 5% among Hispanics, 3% other 24% where ethnicity was unknown.

Among the results:

• A total of 3,399 children (48%) received one CPR per viewer.
• Compared to white children, CPR per viewer was 41% less likely than black children; 22% less likely for Hispanics and 6% less likely among other ethnic groups.
• Black children living in predominantly black neighborhoods with high unemployment, low educational attainment, and median income were almost half as likely to receive CPR per viewer as white children with child labor rates. , 7% vs. 32.1%).

We believe that it is the first study to describe the possible role of racial and socio-demographic factors in providing occasional CPR to pediatric cardiac arrest in the United States. "

Maryam Naim, M.D., pediatric intensive care physician at CHOP, lead investigator

In 2017, researchers published initial data from the study, but by that time, reported badociations were unclear, said lead researcher, Maryam Naim, M.D.

"Analysis of the epidemiology of CPR per viewer among children in the United States [in 2017] We found lower per-viewer CPR rates in black and Hispanic children compared to white children, but we did not know whether this was entirely due to racial disparities or whether it was also badociated with socio-cultural factors. neighborhood economics such as income, employment and educational status, "said Naim., pediatric cardiopulmonary resuscitation physician at CHOP.

These findings demonstrate a critical need for targeted intervention in low-income, non-white, low-income neighborhoods, where targeted CPR training could improve outcomes in children, Naim said.

"Since most of the controls are provided by family members, the lower response rates are probably due to a lack of CPR training and recognition of cardiac arrests," she said, pointing out that teaching CPR to parents before the release of a newborn from the hospital pediatrician visits would be good opportunities for such training.