Acute cardiac care & resuscitationCohort study
Racial and ethnic differences in bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation for opioid-associated out-of-hospital cardiac arrests
- retrospective cohort study
Authors' conclusion
Findings from this study identify specific demographic categories (e.g. age, race/ethnicity) that are significantly less likely to receive bCPR. Risk factors associated with bCPR likelihood for OA-OHCA could inform public health strategies to improve bCPR and reduce opioid overdose deaths and associated disability across all racial and ethnic groups.
Study context
- Population
- Adult opioid-associated out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (opioid-associated OHCA (OA-OHCA)) patients in the U.S. National Emergency Medical Services Information System (NEMSIS) dataset, 2017 through 2025EMS-assessed opioid overdoses involving people who also experienced OA-OHCA before EMS arrival
- Participants
- 19,612 participants
- Exposure
- bystander-administered CPR across racial and ethnic subgroups
- Outcome
- bystander-administered CPR
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Each group vs white patientsAdjusted odds ratio (95% CI)P value
Black patientssignificantly lower odds of receiving bCPR
0.70(0.63–0.77)
P < 0.001Hispanic patientslower odds of receiving bCPR
0.81(0.71–0.94)
P < 0.004Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
| Outcome | AOR (95% CI) | P value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| bCPR by sex · significantly lower odds of receiving bCPR | 0.89 (0.82–0.97) | P = 0.009 | |
| 0.512Adjusted odds ratio (log scale) |
Bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (bCPR) by age (hierarchical analysis)
- Younger patients fared better in receiving bCPR across racial/ethnic groups compared to older patients who were significantly less likely to receive bCPR
Original publication
Racial and ethnic differences in bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation for opioid-associated out-of-hospital cardiac arrests. Resuscitation. Published 24 July 2026. doi:10.1016/j.resuscitation.2026.111216
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it