Open access emergency medicine : OAEM
Equity-Related Factors in Emergency Medical Service Use for Acute Coronary Syndromes: A Systematic Review
By McInnes M, Kerr D and Hayes A.
Abstract
Background
Emergency medical service (EMS) use reduces time to treatment and improves outcomes in acute coronary syndrome (ACS), yet it is unknown whether all Australians have equitable access to EMS. This systematic review examined whether equity-related factors are associated with disparities in EMS use for patients with ACS in Australia.
Methods
The review was pre-registered with PROSPERO (CRD42023466951). Six databases (MEDLINE, CINAHL, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, Cochrane and Scopus) were searched in June 2025 for articles published from inception until May 2025. Eligible studies involved adults presenting to Australian hospitals or emergency departments with ACS or acute non-traumatic chest pain and reported EMS use by at least one PROGRESS-Plus equity-related factor. Risk of bias was assessed using JBI checklists. Findings were synthesized using tabular analysis and a vote-counting summary.