Demographic Disparities in Telemedicine Use During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Journal of the American College of Surgeons: Demographic Disparities in Telemedicine Use During the COVID-19 Pandemic

This study looked at racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in telemedicine compared with in-person surgical consultation during the pandemic and found demographic disparities in the use of in-person versus virtual health consultations. Key findings included that Black patients relied on virtual visits as an essential health care resource more often than White patients, particularly during the second phase of the pandemic. There were also disparities in the use of video streaming during virtual visits among vulnerable populations. Additionally, older age, lower level of education, and non-English as a primary language were correlated with decreased video use.