Is Bystander CPR More Likely in One Neighborhood than Another?

To assess whether neighborhood characteristics affect the likelihood that bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is performed, researchers analyzed census data and records from the Cardiac Arrest Registry to Enhance Survival for 14,225 patients with cardiac arrests from 2005 to 2009. Arrests that occurred in health care settings or in the presence of emergency medical technicians were excluded.

Using census tracts as surrogates for neighborhoods, the researchers categorized neighborhoods where the arrests occurred into six groups based on a combination of median annual household income (<$40,000 ≥$40,000) and racial composition (>80% black, integrated, or >80% white).

Overall, 29% of cardiac arrest victims received bystander CPR, 8% survived to hospital discharge, and 4% were discharged home with good neurologic outcome. The incidence of bystander CPR was highest in high-income white neighborhoods (37%) and lowest in low-income black neighborhoods (18%).In the final multivariable model, compared with patients having arrests in high-income white neighborhoods, those in high-income integrated neighborhoods were similarly likely to receive bystander CPR and those in the other four types of neighborhoods were significantly less likely.