Resuscitation Science Symposium 2025  /  Late-Breaking Resuscitation Science Abstracts  /  The effectiveness of heart attack education in regions at highest-risk on cardiac arrest incidence and survival –the Heart Matters Stepped-Wedge Randomized Control Trial
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The effectiveness of heart attack education in regions at highest-risk on cardiac arrest incidence and survival –the Heart Matters Stepped-Wedge Randomized Control Trial

Abstract Body: Background: Observational studies suggest that heart attack mass media campaigns may help prevent out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA).
Aim: This study evaluated the effectiveness of a community heart attack education intervention (Heart Matters) in high-risk regions of Victoria, Australia—characterised by elevated cardiovascular risk, high OHCA rates, and low ambulance use for ACS—on the secondary outcomes of OHCA incidence and survival.
Intervention: A stepped-wedge cluster randomized trial was conducted in eight high-risk communities (Dec 2021–Mar 2023), with clusters transitioning every four months; a parallel program evaluation was also conducted. The intervention included a heart attack education program delivered by Coordinators directly to the community (n= 10,088 on 490 occasions), household mailouts (n=174,110 households), opportunistic media, and geo-targeted social media. Secondary outcomes of OHCA incidence and survival were evaluated in adult OHCAs of presumed cardiac etiology attended by emergency medical services (EMS) as reported in the Victorian Cardiac Arrest Registry.
Results: There were 977 adult OHCAs of presumed cardiac etiology in the intervention communities (485 control period and 492 intervention period). Median age 70 years (IQR: 57 to 81), 65% were male, 65% unwitnessed, 40% received bystander CPR and 16% had an initial shockable rhythm. The intervention did not reduce OHCA incidence rates (control: 1.5 per 10000 community residents vs. intervention: 1.9 per 10000; incidence rate ratio = 1.39 (95%CI: 0.80, 2.81) or OHCA survival overall (6.8% vs 5.9%, risk difference 0.84 (-4.69, 6.38). The study regions were impacted by a major flooding event in October 2022. Coordinators reported responding to public concerns about media reports of EMS and Emergency Department demand and wait times throughout the intervention.
Conclusion: The Heart Matters heart attack education program intervention that was delivered to communities with elevated cardiovascular risk within Victoria, Australia, did not improve OHCA incidence or survival rates. Alternate education methods may be required to influence change.
  • Bray, Janet  ( MONASH UNIVERSITY , Melbourne , Victoria , Australia )
  • Smith, Ben  ( University of Sydney , Sydney , New South Wales , Australia )
  • Cartledge, Susie  ( Monash University , Melbourne , Victoria , Australia )
  • Beauchamp, Alison  ( MONASH UNIVERSITY , Melbourne , Victoria , Australia )
  • Bowden, Rhys  ( MONASH UNIVERSITY , Melbourne , Victoria , Australia )
  • Dodge, Natasha  ( MONASH UNIVERSITY , Melbourne , Victoria , Australia )
  • Stirling, Anita  ( Ambulance Victoria , Rosanna , Victoria , Australia )
  • Ockenden, Georgie  ( Ambulance Victoria , Rosanna , Victoria , Australia )
  • Nigro, James  ( Ambulance Victoria , Rosanna , Victoria , Australia )
  • Sooriah, Nousa  ( Heart Foundation of Australia , Melbourne , Victoria , Australia )
  • Koik, Donna  ( Heart Foundation of Australia , Melbourne , Victoria , Australia )
  • Nehme, Ziad  ( Ambulance Victoria , Rosanna , Victoria , Australia )
  • Cerini, Elizabeth  ( Heart Foundation of Australia , Melbourne , Victoria , Australia )
  • Cochrane, Ros  ( Ambulance Victoria , Rosanna , Victoria , Australia )
  • Najbar-kaszkiel, Alicja  ( Heart Foundation of Australia , Melbourne , Victoria , Australia )
  • Flemming-judge, Elizabeth  ( Australian Resuscitation Council , Melbourne , Victoria , Australia )
  • Chow, Clara  ( UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY , Westmead, Sydney , New South Wales , Australia )
  • Cameron, Peter  ( MONASH UNIVERSITY , Melbourne , Victoria , Australia )
  • Finn, Judith  ( CURTIN UNIVERSITY , Nedlands , Western Australia , Australia )
  • Kasza, Jessica  ( MONASH UNIVERSITY , Melbourne , Victoria , Australia )
  • Woods, Janelle  ( Heart Foundation of Australia , Melbourne , Victoria , Australia )
  • Clark Faha, Prof Robyn A  ( FLINDERS UNIVERSITY , Unley , South Australia , Australia )
  • Stub, Dion  ( Alfred Hospital Monash university , Melbourne , Victoria , Australia )
  • Cadilhac, Dominique  ( MONASH UNIVERSITY , Clayton , Victoria , Australia )
  • Kim, Joosup  ( MONASH UNIVERSITY , Melbourne , Victoria , Australia )
    • Author Disclosures:
    Janet Bray: DO have relevant financial relationships ; Research Funding (PI or named investigator):Heart Foundation of Australia:Active (exists now) ; Research Funding (PI or named investigator):Laerdal Foundation:Active (exists now) | Ben Smith: No Answer | Susie Cartledge: DO NOT have relevant financial relationships | Alison Beauchamp: No Answer | Rhys Bowden: DO NOT have relevant financial relationships | Natasha Dodge: DO NOT have relevant financial relationships | Anita Stirling: No Answer | Georgie Ockenden: No Answer | James Nigro: No Answer | Nousa Sooriah: No Answer | Donna Koik: No Answer | Ziad Nehme: No Answer | Elizabeth Cerini: No Answer | Ros Cochrane: No Answer | Alicja Najbar-Kaszkiel: No Answer | Elizabeth Flemming-Judge: No Answer | Clara Chow: No Answer | Peter Cameron: DO NOT have relevant financial relationships | Judith Finn: DO have relevant financial relationships ; Research Funding (PI or named investigator):National Health & Medical Research Council (Australia):Active (exists now) ; Employee:Curtin University:Active (exists now) ; Research Funding (PI or named investigator):St John Western Australia:Active (exists now) | Jessica Kasza: DO NOT have relevant financial relationships | Janelle Woods: No Answer | Prof Robyn A Clark FAHA: DO NOT have relevant financial relationships | Dion Stub: No Answer | Dominique Cadilhac: DO have relevant financial relationships ; Research Funding (PI or named investigator):Boehringer Ingelheim:Past (completed) | Joosup Kim: No Answer
Meeting Info:

Resuscitation Science Symposium 2025

2025

New Orleans, Louisiana

Session Info:

Late-Breaking Resuscitation Science Abstracts

Saturday, 11/08/2025 , 10:00AM - 11:00AM

ReSS25 Plenary Session

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The effectiveness of heart attack education in regions at highest-risk – the Heart Matters Stepped-Wedge Randomized Control Trial

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