Who Lives in Ambulance Deserts? Demographic and Geographic Differences in Accessing Ambulance Services

Authors

• Yvonne Jonk PhD, Maine Rural Health Research Center, University of Southern MaineFollow
• Heidi O'Connor, University of Southern Maine, Muskie School of Public Service, Maine Rural Health Research Center
• Brianna Holston BSPH
• Celia Jewell RN, MPH, Maine Rural Health Research Center, University of Southern MaineFollow
• Tyler DeAngelis, University of Southern MaineFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

7-2026

Abstract

Building upon the original May 2023 Ambulance Deserts Chartbook, this study characterizes who lives in ambulance deserts (AD), defined as populated areas that are more than 25 minutes from an ambulance station. Using ambulance location data obtained from 41 states (2021-2022) and the 2016- 2020 American Community Survey (ACS) five year estimates, this study identifies systemic gaps in access to ambulance services by analyzing differences in the following characteristics of AD and nonAD populations: age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, household income, poverty levels, employment, health insurance status, and rural-urban county location.

Recommended Citation

Jonk, Yvonne PhD; O'Connor, Heidi; Holston, Brianna BSPH; Jewell, Celia RN, MPH; and DeAngelis, Tyler, "Who Lives in Ambulance Deserts? Demographic and Geographic Differences in Accessing Ambulance Services" (2026). All Maine Rural Health Research Center Publications. 12.
https://digitalcommons.usm.maine.edu/all_mrhrc/12