Chinedum O Ojinnaka, Lara Johnstun, Omolola E Adepoju, Lora Nordstrom, Sandra Yuh
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background: Missed clinic appointments disproportionately affect Medicaid-insured patients and residents of socioeconomically deprived neighborhoods. The role of the recent telemedicine expansion in reducing these disparities is unclear. We analyzed the relationship between census tract (CT) poverty level, residential segregation, missed appointments, and the role of telemedicine.
Methods: This retrospective cohort study used electronic health records (EHR) data merged with population datasets and restricted to adult patients (≥ 18 years) with completed or missed internal or family medicine outpatient clinic visits (03/2020-12/2022). Using generalized estimating equations, we analyzed the association between missed appointments, CT poverty level, CT residential segregation (operationalized using the isolation index), and appointment modality.
Results: Sample size was 125,229 appointments for 68,471 unique patients (Hispanic [46.6%], White [9.4%], Black [18.7%], Asian [2.6%], Native American [1.9%], and "other race/ethnicity" [0.8%]; 18-39 years [38.2%], 40-64 years [56.4%], and > = 65 years [5.36]). There was an increased likelihood of missed appointments with increasing Hispanic isolation index (OR 1.12; 95% CI 1.03, 1.23) and decreased likelihood with increasing Black isolation index (OR 0.71; 95% CI 0.61, 0.83). The protective effect of telemedicine on missed appointments decreased with increasing Black and Hispanic isolation index.
Conclusion: Our results suggest that further studies are needed to understand the potential impact of telemedicine on healthcare use inequities among residents of residentially segregated areas. Targeted interventions that aim to identify and address structural factors that could limit the benefits of telemedicine use are also needed.
期刊介绍：
Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities reports on the scholarly progress of work to understand, address, and ultimately eliminate health disparities based on race and ethnicity. Efforts to explore underlying causes of health disparities and to describe interventions that have been undertaken to address racial and ethnic health disparities are featured. Promising studies that are ongoing or studies that have longer term data are welcome, as are studies that serve as lessons for best practices in eliminating health disparities. Original research, systematic reviews, and commentaries presenting the state-of-the-art thinking on problems centered on health disparities will be considered for publication. We particularly encourage review articles that generate innovative and testable ideas, and constructive discussions and/or critiques of health disparities.Because the Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities receives a large number of submissions, about 30% of submissions to the Journal are sent out for full peer review.
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