Predictors of No Transport Before Cardiac Death in the U.S.
Author Information
Author(s): Barnett Elizabeth, Reader Steven, Ward Beverly G, Casper Michele L
Primary Institution: University of South Florida
Hypothesis
Persons of lower social class, immigrants, non-metropolitan residents, racial/ethnic minorities, men, and younger decedents would be more likely to die prior to transport.
Conclusion
Marital status is a more significant predictor of access to emergency medical services than social class or race/ethnicity for those suffering acute cardiac events.
Supporting Evidence
- 37% of cardiac decedents died prior to transport.
- Single and divorced individuals had more than twice the risk of dying without transport compared to married individuals.
- Racial/ethnic minorities showed a protective effect against dying prior to transport.
Takeaway
This study found that being single or divorced increases the risk of dying from a heart problem before getting help, more than being poor or from a different race.
Methodology
Logistic regression analysis was used to model the independent effects of social and demographic predictor variables on the risk of dying prior to transport.
Potential Biases
Potential misclassification of cause of death and lack of information on short-term survivors of cardiac events.
Limitations
The study did not measure heart disease mortality rates and relied on death certificate data, which may have misclassification issues.
Participant Demographics
Adult residents of the U.S., aged 25 to 64 years, with a majority being male (69.5%) and white non-Hispanic (72.3%).
Statistical Information
Confidence Interval
95% CI 2.29–2.40 for single decedents
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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