Spotlight on Research

It is known that survivors of an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) have a high probability of experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder, but less is known about the effects on bystanders and witnesses of OHCA. This study analysed bystanders' psychological processing of OHCA and examined the potential impact of bystanders performing resuscitation and the influence of the relationship between bystander and patient (stranger vs. family/friend of the patient) on psychological processing.

Bystanders, who witnessed OHCA in the city of Munster (Germany), were included in this study. Telephone interviews were carried out and followed a semi-standardised questionnaire consisting of 116 items to explore a range of topics such as the location of the incident, the relationship between bystander and patient, and the individual characteristics of the bystander such as gender, age and highest qualification/degree. The interviews took place no sooner than 1 week post OHCA as emotions and psychological processing can be expected to change and evolve within the first days