What affects ambulance care for Hispanic older adults
An Analysis Of The Multi-Level Factors That Impact Provision Of Emergency Medical Services To Hispanic Older Adults
This project looks at the personal, neighborhood, and system factors that shape ambulance care for Hispanic adults aged 65 and older, including heart-related and psychiatric 9-1-1 calls.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California Los Angeles NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11131242 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you are a Hispanic older adult, this research looks at why the ambulance care you get may differ depending on your health, where you live, and how the system is organized. The investigator will analyze 9-1-1 call records and EMS run reports and link them with neighborhood information to find patterns in general EMS care, time-sensitive cardiac calls, and psychiatric-related calls. The work will compare things like response times, treatments given, and how calls are triaged across different neighborhoods and patient characteristics. Results are meant to point to where training, protocols, or policy changes could reduce gaps in care.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are Hispanic adults aged 65 and older who have called or may call 9-1-1 for medical emergencies, especially heart-related or psychiatric crises.
Not a fit: People under 65, non-Hispanic individuals, or those who never interact with ambulance services are unlikely to directly benefit from this specific work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could guide EMS training and policies to reduce disparities and improve emergency care for Hispanic older adults.
How similar studies have performed: Prior studies show racial and ethnic gaps in emergency care generally, but prehospital EMS care for Hispanic older adults is relatively understudied, making this approach partly novel.
Where this research is happening
Los Angeles, United States
- University of California Los Angeles — Los Angeles, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Melgoza, Esmeralda — University of California Los Angeles
- Study coordinator: Melgoza, Esmeralda
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.