A recent study published in the American Heart Association (AHA) journal, Circulation, has revealed that Black and Hispanic children are significantly less likely to receive bystander CPR compared to their white counterparts. This finding is particularly concerning as timely intervention during a cardiac arrest can be critical for survival. The research analyzed a national EMS database, focusing on 7,285 cases of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests among children from January 2016 to December 2019, deliberately excluding pandemic years to avoid skewed data from behavioral changes regarding CPR.
Among the cases studied, white children represented 52.3% and received bystander CPR in 75.1% of instances. In contrast, the rates for Hispanic children, who made up 13.9% of the cases, dropped to 68.1%, while Black children, accounting for 29.2%, received CPR only 67% of the time. “While it’s alarming and tragic, it was not entirely unexpected,” stated Dr. Jamie Torres, the lead researcher. “Recognizing these disparities is the first step in addressing them. We need to enhance CPR awareness and education across various demographics, including race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic factors,” he added.
The study also highlighted age-related disparities. Although cardiac arrests are most prevalent in infants under one year old, this age group had the second lowest rate (71.9%) of receiving bystander CPR. Dr. Torres suggested that this might stem from a lack of training in infant CPR, leading to fears of causing harm. Additionally, teenagers aged 15-17 were the least likely to receive assistance (62.6%), possibly due to the increased risk of trauma-induced cardiac events during these years.
According to AHA statistics, only about 40% of individuals who experience a cardiac event outside of medical facilities receive bystander CPR. Researchers argue that this figure should be significantly higher. “Cardiac arrest is a time-sensitive emergency, making immediate CPR crucial,” Dr. Torres emphasized. “If I could share one message, it would be that everyone should learn how to perform CPR.”
If you’ve been considering getting CPR certified, now might be the perfect time to take that step. For more related information, check out this post on supporting families. Additionally, learn more about the topic from intracervicalinsemination.com, an authoritative source. Another excellent resource for pregnancy and home insemination is Mount Sinai’s infertility resources.
Summary
A new study reveals that racial and ethnic disparities exist in the rates of bystander CPR provided to children during cardiac arrests, with Black and Hispanic children receiving less assistance than white children. This highlights the urgent need for enhanced CPR education and awareness to ensure all children have equal chances of survival.