Socioeconomic Factors and In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest in Denmark
Socioeconomic Factors and In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest in Denmark
Aim
We aim to conduct a series of register-based observational studies to assess the relationship between socioeconomic factors and treatments and outcomes for patients with in-hospital cardiac arrest in Denmark. Identifying such relationships will facilitate interventions to improve equality in treatment and outcomes. We will further explore age-dependent variation in treatment and assess regional and hospital-level incidence, treatments, and outcomes to explore whether there are important and unexplained variations that should be addressed.
Methods
All studies will be register-based observational studies. The primary data source for data on in-hospital cardiac arrest is DANARREST. DANARREST is a nation-wide quality-improvement registry of all in-hospital cardiac arrests in Denmark. Additional patient-level data on comorbidities is obtained from the Danish National Patient Register, on prescriptions from the National Prescription Register, on intensive care data from the Danish Intensive Care database, and on outcomes from the Danish Civil Registration System. Data on socioeconomic factors, immigration status, and nursing home admissions will be obtained from Statistics Denmark. Data will be linked with the unique Civil Personal Register (CPR) number.
Outcome
Outcome measures include return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), 30-day survival, 1-year-survival, return to work, and anoxic brain damage or nursing home admission.
Perspective
The Danish health-care system, with its high-quality registries, provides a unique opportunity for this type of research. The studies will provide an understanding of the current state of potential inequality as it relates to in-hospital cardiac arrest in Denmark. This will provide the first essential step to address these inequalities and will inform future research projects, quality-improvement projects, and political and clinical initiatives.
Collaborators
Lars W. Andersen, M.D., M.P.H., Ph.D., D.M.Sc.
Asger Granfeldt, M.D., Ph.D., D.M.Sc.
Mathias J. Holmberg, M.D., M.P.H.
Hans Kirkegaard, M.D., Ph.D., D.M.Sc.
Bo Løfgren, M.D., Ph.D.
