PDF(Pubmed)
Abstract：
Telehealth use among individuals with and without transportation challenges remains understudied. This study aims to compare telehealth utilization and types of healthcare services between subjects with and without transportation challenges. Using data from the 2021 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), we identified telehealth use for office visits by adults (≥18 years old) in 2021, categorizing the type of healthcare services received, such as checkups and mental health counseling. Weighted logistic regression was employed to identify factors associated with telehealth usage. The total population analyzed was 204 621 985 (unweighted n = 17 674). The average (SD) age of the subjects was 49 (18) years old, and 53% were female. On average, individuals with transportation challenges had 1.40 telehealth visits, while those without such challenges had 0.87 visits (P = .03). Additionally, individuals with transportation challenges had more visits related to behavioral health compared to those without transportation challenges (22% vs 11%, P < .01). Those facing transportation challenges were 40% more likely to use telehealth compared to those without transportation challenges (OR = 1.40, P = .01). The findings suggest that telehealth could serve as a viable solution to overcome transportation barriers and improve access to care. However, it is crucial to assess access to care through telehealth to enhance the health outcomes for individuals facing transportation challenges.
摘要：
有和没有交通挑战的个人之间的远程医疗使用仍未得到充分研究。这项研究旨在比较有和没有交通挑战的受试者之间的远程医疗利用率和医疗服务类型。使用2021年医疗支出小组调查(MEPS)的数据，我们在2021年确定了成年人(≥18岁)办公室就诊的远程医疗使用情况，对接受的医疗服务类型进行了分类，比如体检和心理健康咨询。采用加权逻辑回归来确定与远程医疗使用相关的因素。分析的总人口为204621985（未加权n=17674）。受试者的平均年龄(SD)为49(18)岁,53%是女性。平均而言,有交通挑战的个人有1.40次远程医疗访问，而没有此类挑战的患者有0.87次访问（P=0.03）。此外,与没有交通挑战的人相比，有交通挑战的人有更多与行为健康相关的访问(22%对11%，P<.01)。与没有交通挑战的人相比，面临交通挑战的人使用远程医疗的可能性高40％（OR=1.40，P=0.01）。研究结果表明，远程医疗可以作为克服交通障碍和改善获得护理的可行解决方案。然而,至关重要的是,通过远程医疗评估获得医疗服务的机会,以增强面临交通挑战的个人的健康结果.
