Am J Prev Med. 2023 Sep 1:S0749-3797(23)00344-6. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2023.08.018. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Police involvement in patient transport to emergency medical care has increased over time, yet studies assessing racial inequities in transport are limited. This study evaluated the relationship between race and police transport to the emergency department for adult patients.

METHODS: This cross-sectional study evaluated adult (≥18 years) visits at 13 different EDs across two regional hospital systems in the Southeastern and Northeastern United States from 2015-2022. Data were extracted from electronic health records. This analysis evaluated the association between race and transport by police transport using generalized linear multivariable mixed model with a binary logistic link for presence of police transport. Data were nested by patient and adjusted for site, demographics, and diagnostic visit characteristics.

RESULTS: Of 4,291,809 adult ED visits, 25,901 (0.6%) involved transport via police. Of the 25,901 visits in police-involved encounters, 10,513 (40.6%) patients were Black and 9,827 (37.9%) were white. The adjusted model showed that Black patients were at higher odds of transport by police than white patients (AOR 1.64; 95% CI 1.57-1.72). Male sex, younger age (18-35 years old), history of behavioral health diagnosis, and ED psychiatric or substance use disorders were independently associated with increased odds of police transport.

CONCLUSIONS: This analysis revealed racial inequities in police-involved transport to emergency medical care highlighting an urgent need to evaluate drivers of inequities and the ways in which police transport influences clinical outcomes.

PMID:37661074 | DOI:10.1016/j.amepre.2023.08.018