Historically Redlined Communities Face Slower EMS Response Across 236 US Cities

A recent study published in JAMA Network Open reveals that residents of historically redlined communities experience significantly slower emergency medical services (EMS) response times compared to those in non-redlined areas. Redlining, a discriminatory practice from the 1930s that denied mortgages to Black and Hispanic residents by labeling their neighborhoods as risky, has left a lasting impact on EMS accessibility, with over 2.2 million people lacking rapid EMS access nationwide. The study found that neighborhoods graded “D” for financial hazard, which have higher proportions of Black residents, had nearly twice the percentage of residents without rapid EMS response compared to the most desirable “A” graded areas, which are predominantly white. These disparities are especially severe in the Great Lakes region, where residents in redlined neighborhoods face nearly three times the odds of lacking rapid EMS access. Using geographic mapping and historical traffic data, the research highlights how structural racism rooted in historic urban policies continues to create dangerous health inequities, delaying critical emergency care in marginalized communities. The findings underscore the urgent need for systemic reforms and resource redistribution to address these persistent inequities in emergency healthcare provision.