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. 2025 Dec;57(1):2439540.
doi: 10.1080/07853890.2024.2439540. Epub 2024 Dec 19.

Who feels safe calling 911: are prior experiences of anti-Black racial discrimination associated with hesitancy seeking emergency medical services in the event of accidental drug overdose? - a study protocol

O Trent Hall  1 , Candice Trimble  2 , Stephanie Garcia  3 , Sydney Grayson  1 , Lucy Joseph  1 , Parker Entrup  1   4 , Oluwole Jegede  5 , Jose Perez Martel  6 , Jeanette Tetrault  6 , Myra Mathis  7 , Ayana Jordan  8
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Who feels safe calling 911: are prior experiences of anti-Black racial discrimination associated with hesitancy seeking emergency medical services in the event of accidental drug overdose? - a study protocol

O Trent Hall et al. Ann Med. 2025 Dec.

Abstract

Background: Racial discrimination is associated with health disparities among Black Americans, a group that has experienced an increase in rates of fatal drug overdose. Prior research has found that racial discrimination in the medical setting may be a barrier to addiction treatment. Nevertheless, it is unknown how experiences of racial discrimination might impact engagement with emergency medical services for accidental drug overdose. This study will psychometrically assess a new measure of hesitancy in seeking emergency medical services for accidental drug overdose and examine prior experiences of racial discrimination and group-based medical mistrust as potential corollaries of this hesitancy.

Method: Cross-sectional survey of 200 Black adults seeking treatment for substance-use-related medical problems (i.e. substance use disorder, overdose, infectious complications of substance use, etc.). Participants will complete a survey including sociodemographic information, the Discrimination in Medical Settings Scale, Everyday Discrimination Scale, Group-Based Medical Mistrust Scale, and an original questionnaire measuring perceptions of and prior engagement with emergency services for accidental drug overdose. Analyses will include exploratory factor analysis, Cronbach's alpha, and non-parametric partial correlations controlling for age, gender, income, and education.

Conclusions: This article describes a planned cross-sectional survey of Black patients seeking treatment for substance use related health problems. Currently, there is no validated instrument to measure hesitancy in seeking emergency medical services for accidental drug overdose or how experiences of racial discrimination might relate to such hesitancy. Results of this study may provide actionable insight into medical discrimination and the rising death toll of accidental drug overdose among Black Americans.

Keywords: Racial discrimination; healthcare disparities; medical mistrust; mortality, premature; social justice; substance use treatment; substance-related disorders.

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Conflict of interest statement

Dr. Hall provided expert opinion regarding the opioid overdose crisis to Lumanity, Emergent BioSolutions, and AstraZeneca. All other authors report no relevant conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Conceptual diagram of hypothesized relationships.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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