Table 2.

Barriers to calling 911.

Code	Illustrative Quotes
Immigration  status	Quote 1: Interaction with the law enforcement if they had  to give their name and would they be afraid that they  would check; you know, we do have a lot of  undocumented people who live in our neighborhood  who are around here that are afraid, you know. The law  enforcement is not positive. Quote 2: Also there are some people who don’t have  [legal] papers.… They also think that if we go to the  hospital they won’t be able to treat us because of that.
Fear of  becoming  involved	Quote 1: Well, I think in order to avoid getting involved  with problems with the law, or any other things…I think  that it’s one of the first fear(s) one can have. If I get  involved, they’ll think I did something to them, so it’s  better to… Quote 2: You are afraid that they’ll think that you had  something to do with what has happened, and because  of this sometimes you don’t help right away…because  you could get involved in a problem.
Violence	Quote 1: And I think part of it too is sometimes there’s a  perception that there’s a lot of illegal activity going on,  and they’re afraid that if they call the police officers or  the ambulance that the neighbors are going to get mad  at them and retaliate. Quote 2: I actually called 911 once, and the boyfriend  of the woman who I felt had quit breathing came in and  was going to kick my ass because she had overdosed  on heroin. That would have been a pretty good  motivation not to have called 911.
Financial	Quote: We’ve talked about it before, ’cause it’s happened  to us where somebody called 911 over an allergy  reaction and we all ended up with big, big bills, I mean,  big expense and…and so we’ve learned, if I get sick  don’t call 911!
Language	Quote 1: Subject: But I think a lot of, you also have to take  into consideration that a lot of people that live in this  neighborhood only speak Spanish, so if you have  someone only speaking English trying to tell them how  to do CPR, it’s going to fail. So there is a need to have a  translation there, and I know it’s horrible to be put on  hold but at the same time you want it done to where it’s  successful, and not hindered. Quote 2: I think it’s hold, everybody gets tired of being put  on hold…and even if it’s for a split second, they say,  “Hold on, let me transfer you to someone” or whatever,  or “Hold on, let me have.…” No one wants, to say “hold  on,” you know. Now here I am, trying to do something,  and you’re telling me to hold on.
Lack of  recognition  of cardiac  arrest event	Quote: They may think that the person is going to come  back, maybe they have temporarily fainted, or  something like that. They may not know what to do, so  they are in a panic. They may not be able to respond  right away to that, or know what they should do.