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Socioeconomic factors associated with use of telehealth services in outpatient care settings during the COVID-19.
Kim, Pearl C; Tan, Lo-Fu; Kreston, Jillian; Shariatmadari, Haniyeh; Keyoung, Estella Sky; Shen, Jay J; Wang, Bing-Long.
Afiliação
  • Kim PC; Department of Health Care Administration and Policy, School of Public Health, University of Nevada in Las Vegas, Las Vegas, USA.
  • Tan LF; InnovAge PACE, San Bernardino, USA.
  • Kreston J; Optum Care, United Health Group, Las Vegas, USA.
  • Shariatmadari H; Department of Health Care Administration and Policy, School of Public Health, University of Nevada in Las Vegas, Las Vegas, USA.
  • Keyoung ES; Orange County School of the Arts, Santa Ana, USA.
  • Shen JJ; Department of Health Care Administration and Policy, School of Public Health, University of Nevada in Las Vegas, Las Vegas, USA. jay.shen@unlv.edu.
  • Wang BL; Center for Health Disparities and Research, School of Public Health, University of Nevada in Las Vegas, Las Vegas, USA. jay.shen@unlv.edu.
BMC Health Serv Res ; 24(1): 446, 2024 Apr 09.
Article em En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38594743
ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:

To examine potential changes and socioeconomic disparities in utilization of telemedicine in non-urgent outpatient care in Nevada since the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS:

This retrospective cross-sectional analysis of telemedicine used the first nine months of 2019 and 2020 electronic health record data from regular non-urgent outpatient care in a large healthcare provider in Nevada. The dependent variables were the use of telemedicine among all outpatient visits and using telemedicine more than once among those patients who did use telemedicine. The independent variables were race/ethnicity, insurance status, and language preference.

RESULTS:

Telemedicine services increased from virtually zero (16 visits out of 237,997 visits) in 2019 to 10.8% (24,159 visits out of 222,750 visits) in 2020. Asians (odds ratio [OR] = 0.85; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.85,0.94) and Latinos/Hispanics (OR = 0.89; 95% CI = 0.85, 0.94) were less likely to use telehealth; Spanish-speaking patients (OR = 0.68; 95% CI = 0.63, 0.73) and other non-English-speaking patients (OR = 0.93; 95% CI = 0.88, 0.97) were less likely to use telehealth; and both Medicare (OR = 0.94; 95% CI = 0.89, 0.99) and Medicaid patients (OR = 0.91; 95% CI = 0.87, 0.97) were less likely to use telehealth than their privately insured counterparts. Patients treated in pediatric (OR = 0.76; 95% CI = 0.60, 0.96) and specialty care (OR = 0.67; 95% CI = 0.65, 0.70) were less likely to use telemedicine as compared with patients who were treated in adult medicine.

CONCLUSIONS:

Racial/ethnic and linguistic factors were significantly associated with the utilization of telemedicine in non-urgent outpatient care during COVID-19, with a dramatic increase in telemedicine utilization during the onset of the pandemic. Reducing barriers related to socioeconomic factors can be improved via policy and program interventions.
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Texto completo: 1 Coleções: 01-internacional Base de dados: MEDLINE Assunto principal: Telemedicina / COVID-19 Limite: Adult / Aged / Child / Humans País/Região como assunto: America do norte Idioma: En Ano de publicação: 2024 Tipo de documento: Article

Texto completo: 1 Coleções: 01-internacional Base de dados: MEDLINE Assunto principal: Telemedicina / COVID-19 Limite: Adult / Aged / Child / Humans País/Região como assunto: America do norte Idioma: En Ano de publicação: 2024 Tipo de documento: Article