Beck, B.Bray, J.Cameron, P.Smith, K.Walker, T.Grantham, H.Hein, C.Thorrowgood, M.Smith, A.Inoue, M.Smith, T.Dicker, B.Swain, A.Bosley, E.Pemberton, K.McKay, M.Johnston-Leek, M.Perkins, G.D.Nichol, G.Finn, J.2021-12-022021-12-022018Resuscitation, 2018; 126:49-570300-95721873-1570https://hdl.handle.net/2440/133501Introduction: The aim of this study was to investigate regional variation in the characteristics, incidence and outcomes of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) in Australia and New Zealand. Methods: This was a population-based cohort study of OHCA using data from the Aus-ROC Australian and New Zealand OHCA Epistry over the period of 01 January 2015–31 December 2015. Seven ambulance services contributed data to the Epistry with a capture population of 19.8 million people. All OHCA attended by ambulance, regardless of aetiology or patient age, were included. Results: In 2015, there were 19,722 OHCA cases recorded in the Aus-ROC Epistry with an overall crude incidence of 102.5 cases per 100,000 population (range: 51.0–107.7 per 100,000 population). Of all OHCA cases attended by EMS (excluding EMS-witnessed cases), bystander CPR was performed in 41% of cases (range: 36%–50%). Resuscitation was attempted (by EMS) in 48% of cases (range: 40%–68%). The crude incidence for attempted resuscitation cases was 47.6 per 100,000 population (range: 34.7–54.1 per 100,000 population). Of cases with attempted resuscitation, 28% survived the event (range: 21%–36%) and 12% survived to hospital discharge or 30 days (range: 9%–17%; data provided by five ambulance services). Conclusion: In the first results of the Aus-ROC Australian and New Zealand OHCA Epistry, significant regional variation in the incidence, characteristics and outcomes was observed. Understanding the system-level and public health drivers of this variation will assist in optimisation of the chain of survival provided to OHCA patients with the aim of improving outcomes.en© 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/BY-NC-ND/4.0/).Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest; Emergency medical service; Epidemiology; RegistryHumansCardiopulmonary ResuscitationPopulation SurveillanceRegistriesIncidenceCohort StudiesAdultAgedAged, 80 and overMiddle AgedEmergency Medical ServicesAustraliaNew ZealandFemaleMaleOut-of-Hospital Cardiac ArrestOutcome Assessment, Health CareJournal article10.1016/j.resuscitation.2018.02.0292021-12-01483941Grantham, H. [0000-0003-1700-190X]