Socioeconomic vulnerability is the strongest predictor of disparities in cardiac arrest mortality across the United States, according to a new study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
The research found significant racial differences in cardiac arrest death rates, with Black individuals experiencing a much higher age-adjusted mortality rate compared to White individuals (150.4 vs 92.3 per 100,000). Men also had higher rates than women (119.6 vs 89.9).
Using the Social Vulnerability Index, which incorporates 15 social factors, researchers analyzed cardiac arrest deaths from 2016-2020. Counties with the highest social vulnerability had more than double the cardiac arrest mortality rate of those with the lowest vulnerability (141.0 vs 64.8 per 100,000).
Socioeconomic status emerged as the most influential factor, with a 20.5% average increase in mortality rate for each quintile increase in vulnerability. In contrast, minority status and language had the least impact.
Geographic disparities were also evident, with nonmetropolitan areas showing the highest mortality rates.
“US counties in higher quintiles of the Social Vulnerability Index had higher rates of mortality from cardiac arrest, which was consistent across the subgroups of age, sex, race, ethnicity, and urbanization,” the study authors noted.
The findings highlight the urgent need to address social determinants of health to reduce disparities in cardiac arrest outcomes, particularly among socioeconomically vulnerable and minority communities.
“Social Determinants Predict Sizable Disparities in US Cardiac Arrest Mortality” (June 11, 2024)
