Reference
Chris Chaeha Lim, Jonathan A Race, Parneet Kaur, Honghyok Kim, Ran Wei, Xiaojiang Li, Lynn B Gerald, Brian Drummond, Noah M Tolby, N Clay Mann, and Ladd Keith. “Trends and Disparities in Heat-Related Emergency Medical Services Activations ”. Jama, vol. 335, 4 Feb. 2026, pp. 818-20, https://doi.org/0.1001/jama.2025.26586. read more
Abstract
Heat-related illness is a growing public health concern as climate change intensifies heat exposure across the United States. Emergency medical services (EMS) provide first-line response for acute heat-related illness. Because EMS utilization has increased and reflects health care inequities, distinguishing heat-specific vulnerabilities from baseline disparities is essential for targeted interventions. This study quantified and compared nationwide trends in heat-related and non–heat-related EMS activations from 2019 to 2024 and determined whether there were associations by sociodemographic groups and geographic regions.