Out of Hospital Bystander CPR Rates in Baltimore City, Maryland, 2020-2022, Compared to State and National Rates: A Preliminary Report

Publications Category : Emergency Medicine, Epidemiology

Author(s): Christian Angelo Ventura, Benjamin J Lawner, Jennifer E Guyther, Jason Gullion

Project Description : This preliminary study was a rapid retrospective analysis of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) cases from Baltimore City between January 2020 and December 2022, using data from the Cardiac Arrest Registry to Enhance Survival. Of the 1,282 cases in 2022, 27.4% received bystander CPR compared to 40.7% in Maryland and 40.8% nationwide. These findings suggest individuals experiencing OHCA in Baltimore City are 45% less likely to receive bystander CPR. Despite community education initiatives and dispatch-assisted protocols, the low bystander CPR rate indicates significant barriers to intervention. Addressing these disparities may necessitate a health equity-focused investigation into public awareness, CPR training access, and sociocultural factors.