Acute cardiac care & resuscitation
Homelessness and Incidence and Causes of Sudden Death: Data From the POST SCD Study
Authors' conclusion
In this cohort study among individuals who experienced sudden death in San Francisco County, homelessness was associated with greater risk of sudden death from both noncardiac causes and arrhythmic causes potentially preventable with a defibrillator.
Study context
- Population
- Individuals aged 18 to 90 years with presumed SCD (out-of-hospital cardiac arrest deaths), San Francisco Countypresumed SCDs over 8 years
- Participants
- 868 individuals
- Exposure
- Unhoused vs housed individuals
- Unhousedn = 151
- Housedn = 717reference
- Outcome
- Incidence and causes of presumed SCD by housing status (arrhythmic, cardiac nonarrhythmic or noncardiac)
Methodological detailscountywide, consecutive OHCA deaths, autopsy-based, Data from the POST SCD study; WHO criteria for presumed SCD, with autopsy, toxicologic analysis and medical record review
- Countywide
- Consecutive OHCA deaths
- Autopsy-based
- Data from the POST SCD study; WHO criteria for presumed SCD, with autopsy, toxicologic analysis and medical record review
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Incidence and causes of sudden death
Unhoused vs HousedIncidence rate ratio (95% CI)P value
Sudden death
16.2(5.1–51.2)
P < 0.001Arrhythmic death
7.2(1.3–40.1)
P = 0.02Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Noncardiac causes: gastrointestinal
P = 0.03
Noncardiac causes: infection
P = 0.01
Witnessed sudden deaths
P = 0.04
Paramedic time to arrival
P = 0.99
| Outcome | Unhoused | Housed | P value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Noncardiac causes: occult overdose | — not stated in the abstract | 12.6% | P < 0.001 |
— not stated in the abstract
Original publication
Homelessness and Incidence and Causes of Sudden Death: Data From the POST SCD Study. JAMA Intern Med. Published 1 December 2023. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →