Race, ethnicity and utilization of security emergency responses among non-psychiatric inpatients

Security emergency responses (SER), or instances where security personnel are summoned to respond to an emergent patient situation, affect approximately 1-2% of non-psychiatric inpatients. A recent study performed at an academic medical center in Boston, MA found that after adjustment for covariates, Black patients had 37% higher odds of SER compared to White patients, while there was no statistically significant difference for Hispanic compared to White patients. The goal of this study is to assess for the generalizability of these findings across UCLA Health, which serves a population of patients from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds. Further, we aim to complement a quantitative approach to this line of inquiry with qualitative methods. To achieve this, we will compare rates of SER and physical restraint with SER between different racial and ethnic groups among patients admitted to non-psychiatric wards at UCLA Health acute care hospitals, including UCLA Ronald Reagan Medical Center and UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center. We will then use multivariable logistic regression models to adjust for potentially confounding factors. We will also perform semi-structured interviews and surveys with Black and Latinx patients, patient caregivers and providers involved in SERs to assess their experiences and identify common themes.