May 27, 2021

Racial/Ethnic, Social, and Geographic Trends in Overdose-Associated Cardiac Arrests Observed by US Emergency Medical Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Category: Article Summary

Topic: Public Health Policy and Practice

Keywords (Tags): disparities

• Overdose-associated cardiac arrests requiring activation of emergency medical services (EMS) were 42% higher in 2020 compared to levels from 2018 and 2019 (60 vs 42 cardiac arrests per 100,000 EMS activations). The highest percentage increases were seen among Latinx and African American individuals (50% increase) and among individuals living in more impoverished neighborhoods (46% increase). The authors predict approximately 90,632 overdose deaths may be eventually reported for 2020 by the CDC after observing that EMS records were highly correlated with CDC mortality figures reported with a 6- to 12-month lag time.

Friedman et al. (May 26, 2021). Racial/Ethnic, Social, and Geographic Trends in Overdose-Associated Cardiac Arrests Observed by US Emergency Medical Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic. JAMA Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2021.0967