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Age-Dependent Geographic Convergence of Overdose and Cardiovascular Emergency Medical Services Calls: A Spatial Point Process Analysis
ORIGINAL RESEARCH — Volume 23 — June 23, 2026
PEER REVIEWED
The figure contains 3 graphs that are shaded from dark blue, representing the lowest activity, to light yellow, representing the highest activity. More cardiac EMS activations occurred for patients older than 45 years than for patients aged 45 years or younger. The highest concentration of cardiac EMS activations and suspected overdoses among all EMS activations are mostly centered in the middle of Washington County, in and around the city of Washington.
Figure 1. Cardiac EMS activations per meter squared, by patients aged 18 to 45 years (graph A) and older than 45 years (graph B), and suspected overdoses among all EMS activations (graph C), Washington County, Pennsylvania, 2017–2023. EMS, emergency medical services.
The graph is shaded from dark blue, representing the lowest population intensity, to light yellow, representing the highest population intensity. The population intensity highest near the center of the county, coinciding with the cities of Washington and Canonsburg.
Figure 2. Raw kernel regression smoothed maps for population per meter squared in Washington County, Pennsylvania, using census block population estimates, 2025.
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