Objective Activation of emergency medical services (EMS) through radio dispatching in the United States of America is the established first component in the link of the Chain of Survival. However, little is known about how auditory dispatch alerts operationally aid in the recognition and physical response of priority dispatch communications. This research aims to determine if a modification in radio alerting procedures will elicit a reduction in chute times for first responders.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAmid the national opioid epidemic, it is important to assess trends in opioid prescriptions. Long-acting opioids (LAOs) are of particular interest as they are among the most intensely misused prescription opioids. Moreover, understanding geographic trends in opioid prescriptions may help identify state-level variations, illustrating state-specific disparities.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Environ Res Public Health
January 2023
Environmental air pollution remains a major contributor to negative health outcomes and mortality, but the relationship between socially vulnerable populations and air pollution is not well understood. Although air pollution potentially affects everyone, the combination of underlying health, socioeconomic, and demographic factors exacerbate the impact for socially vulnerable population groups, and the United States Clean Air Act (CAA) describes an obligation to protect these populations. This paper seeks to understand how air pollution monitor placement strategies and policy may neglect social vulnerabilities and therefore potentially underestimate exposure burdens in vulnerable populations.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: In urban environments, environmental air pollution poses significant risks to respiratory health. Moreover, the seasonal spatial variability of the air pollutant ozone, and respiratory illness within Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) is not well understood. We examine the relationships between spatial patterns of long-term ozone exposure and respiratory illness to better understand impacts on health outcomes.
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