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1.
J Psychosoc Nurs Ment Health Serv ; 59(5): 6, 2021 May.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-20231724
2.
Public Health Rep ; 138(1_suppl): 36S-41S, 2023.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-20244626

RESUMEN

Integrated behavioral health can improve primary care and mental health outcomes. Access to behavioral health and primary care services in Texas is in crisis because of high uninsurance rates, regulatory restrictions, and lack of workforce. To address gaps in access to care, a partnership formed among a large local mental health authority in central Texas, a federally designated rural health clinic, and the Texas A&M University School of Nursing to create an interprofessional team-based health care delivery model led by nurse practitioners in rural and medically underserved areas of central Texas. Academic-practice partners identified 5 clinics for an integrated behavioral health care delivery model. From July 1, 2020, through December 31, 2021, a total of 3183 patient visits were completed. Patients were predominantly female (n = 1719, 54%) and Hispanic (n = 1750, 55%); 1050 (33%) were living at or below the federal poverty level; and 1400 (44%) were uninsured. The purpose of this case study was to describe the first year of implementation of the integrated health care delivery model, barriers to implementation, challenges to sustainability, and successes. We analyzed data from multiple sources, including meeting minutes and agendas, grant reports, direct observations of clinic flow, and interviews with clinic staff, and identified common qualitative themes (eg, challenges to integration, sustainability of integration, outcome successes). Results revealed implementation challenges with the electronic health record, service integration, low staffing levels during a global pandemic, and effective communication. We also examined 2 patient cases to illustrate the success of integrated behavioral health and highlighted lessons learned from the implementation process, including the need for a robust electronic health record and organizational flexibility.


Asunto(s)
Servicios Comunitarios de Salud Mental , Accesibilidad a los Servicios de Salud , Hispánicos o Latinos , Enfermeras Practicantes , Atención Dirigida al Paciente , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Instituciones de Atención Ambulatoria , Registros Electrónicos de Salud , Salud Mental , Población Rural , Área sin Atención Médica , Texas , Pacientes no Asegurados
3.
Int J Environ Res Public Health ; 20(10)2023 05 10.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-20244042

RESUMEN

The outbreak of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has threatened health and well-being in all populations. This impact is also deepening structural inequalities for migrant workers in Thailand. Due to their vulnerability and limited opportunity to access health services, they have greater risks in many health aspects compared to other populations. This qualitative study sought to examine the key health concerns and barriers during the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare access among migrant workers in Thailand through the lens of policymakers, healthcare professionals, experts on migrant health, and migrant workers. We conducted 17 semi-structured in-depth interviews of stakeholders from health and non-health sectors in Thailand from July to October 2021. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed using both deductive and inductive thematic approaches. Thematic coding was applied. The results showed that financial constraints were a major barrier for healthcare access among migrant workers. These included affordability of healthcare and difficulty accessing funds (migrant health insurance). Structural barriers included some health facilities opening for emergency cases only. Insufficient healthcare resources were profound during the peak of positive cases. Cognitive barriers included negative attitudes and diverse understanding of healthcare rights. Language and communication barriers, and a lack of information also played an important role. Conclusion, our study highlights healthcare access barriers to migrant workers in Thailand during the COVID-19 pandemic. Recommendations for future resolution of these barriers were also proposed.


Asunto(s)
COVID-19 , Migrantes , Humanos , Pandemias , Tailandia/epidemiología , COVID-19/epidemiología , Accesibilidad a los Servicios de Salud , Investigación Cualitativa , Instituciones de Salud
4.
Assist Inferm Ric ; 42(1): 33-35, 2023.
Artículo en Italiano | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-20243848

RESUMEN

. Methodological challenges for proactive post-Covid care strategies. In the present global-national scenarios of healthcare systems obliged to recognise their profound failure in the management of the Covid pandemic, the uncertainties on what could possibly be done to reverse the causes of the failures are the dominant terms of reference. The urgent needs of substantially increasing the investments on the scarce human resources and on the structural inequalities in the access to care are, in fact, in profound contrast with policies obedient mainly to economic sustainability and further exclusion from health rights. An epidemiological agenda explicitly centred on the lives of communities as producers of knowledge (not based on administrative and artificially standardised data), and as real bottom-up partners of the classical top-down actors is illustrated. The above perspective is discussed as a provocative and at the same time realistic opportunity for an innovative promotion of an autonomous role of the nursing professions and research.


Asunto(s)
COVID-19 , Humanos , Accesibilidad a los Servicios de Salud , Derechos Humanos
5.
Cien Saude Colet ; 27(4): 1389-1401, 2022 Apr.
Artículo en Portugués, Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-20234764

RESUMEN

The objective was to analyze the situation of the Metropolitan Area of Brasília (AMB) before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on the availability and geographical accessibility of critical resources for the treatment of acute respiratory crises caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Geographic mapping of the population within the territory and geolocation of health facilities and resources, construction of a relationship network between the potential demand simulated to the public health system and the supply of resources available in December 2019. The relationship analysis is based on the theory of complex networks crossing socioeconomic data available in the CENSUS and information from the National Registry of Health Establishments (CNES) and analyzing the micro relationship of census tracts with the stock and availability of health resources concerning Adult ICU Bed Type II/III and Respirators/Ventilators. The Federal District (DF) health facilities concentrate more than 75% of the relationships of potential access to critical resources for the treatment of COVID-19. Although the regions surrounding the DF, belonging to Goiás state, have the greatest relative vulnerability in the studied territory, they are also the most lacking in spatial accessibility and availability of resources, evidencing a care imbalance within the AMB region.


O objetivo deste artigo é analisar a situação da Área Metropolitana de Brasília (AMB) antes do início da pandemia de COVID-19 com foco na disponibilidade e acessibilidade de recursos críticos para o tratamento da crise aguda respiratória causada pelo vírus SARS-CoV-2. Mapeamento geográfico da população e geolocalização dos estabelecimentos e recursos de saúde, construção de rede de relacionamentos entre a demanda potencial ao sistema de saúde público e a oferta de recursos existente em dez/2019. Análise baseada na teoria de redes complexas cruzando dados socioeconômicos disponíveis no CENSO, dados do Cadastro Nacional de Estabelecimentos de Saúde (CNES) e o micro relacionamento dos setores censitários e suas populações com o estoque e disponibilidade de recursos do tipo Leito de UTI Adulto Tipo II/III e Respiradores Mecânicos. Estabelecimentos do Distrito Federal (DF) concentram mais de 75% dos relacionamentos de acesso potencial aos recursos críticos para o tratamento de COVID-19. Embora as regiões do entorno do DF, pertencentes ao Goiás, apresentem a maior vulnerabilidade relativa no território estudado, são também as mais carentes de acessibilidade e disponibilidade de recursos, evidenciando um desequilíbrio assistencial dentro da região da AMB.


Asunto(s)
Tratamiento Farmacológico de COVID-19 , COVID-19 , Adulto , COVID-19/terapia , Accesibilidad a los Servicios de Salud , Humanos , Pandemias , SARS-CoV-2
6.
BMC Health Serv Res ; 23(1): 530, 2023 May 23.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-20241851

RESUMEN

BACKGROUND: The purpose of thispaper is to explore the experiences of parents and carers of children with chronic health conditions in accessing healthcare during the Covid-19 pandemic. Children with chronic conditions typically rely on both planned and unplanned care, and contact with healthcare professionals over extensive periods of time. Their distinct care needs render these children vulnerable to even to minor changes in healthcare provision. The wide-ranging care disruptions during the pandemic were therefore likely drastically to affect their health and wellbeing; an assessment of the effects of Covid-19 policies on healthcare access and quality of care delivered for this group is needed. METHODS: From 25/01/2022 to 25/05/2022, four focus groups were held with parents/carers of children with diabetes, neurodivergence, mental health conditions, and medical complexities to explore their experiences in navigating the healthcare system during the pandemic. Interviews were transcribed and then subjected to thematic analysis using NVivo qualitative research software. RESULTS: Our results indicate that children with chronic health conditions (and their parents/carers) experienced difficulties accessing healthcare during the pandemic. Problems with late diagnosis, prolonged waiting times, and deficiencies with telemedicine were identified, as were impacts of healthcare disruptions on children's wellbeing, and the wellbeing of wider families. We found that children with neurodivergence and those with mental health conditions were particularly affected with their health needs repeatedly de-prioritised. Furthermore, the loss of contact with multi-specialty clinical teams profoundly affected parents and carers, leaving them feeling isolated in managing their children's health. These diminished relationships became another vector for uncertainty in supporting children's health. CONCLUSION: The effects of healthcare disruptions on the welfare of children with chronic conditions (and their families), are well evidenced in this work, providing deeper understandings of the relationships between these children, their families and clinicians. The evidence in this paper aims to inform future policy and ethical guidelines so that the needs of children with long-term health conditions can be properly considered in times of crisis.


Asunto(s)
COVID-19 , Telemedicina , Humanos , Niño , Cuidadores , Pandemias , Accesibilidad a los Servicios de Salud , Enfermedad Crónica , Padres , Políticas
7.
BMJ Open ; 13(5): e070975, 2023 05 29.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-20239135

RESUMEN

OBJECTIVES: Previous research highlighted that in the early 2000s a significant share of the Italian population used and paid out of pocket for private healthcare services even when they could potentially have received the same treatments from the National Health Service (NHS). The decrease in public investments in healthcare and the increase in health needs due to the population ageing may have modified the use of private health services and equity of access to the Italian NHS. This study aims to investigate the change in the prevalence of individuals who have fully paid out of pocket for accessing healthcare services in Italy between 2006 and 2019 and the main reasons behind this choice. DESIGN: Cross-sectional comparative study. PARTICIPANTS AND COMPARISON: Two representative samples of the Italian population were collected in 2006 and 2019. OUTCOME MEASURES: Prevalence of access to fully paid out-of-pocket private health services; type of service of the last fully paid out-of-pocket access; main reasons for the last fully paid out-of-pocket access. RESULTS: We found an increase in the prevalence of people who declared having fully paid out of pocket at least one access to health services during their lifetime from 79.0% in 2006 to 91.9% in 2019 (adjusted OR 2.66; 95% CI 1.98 to 3.58). 'To avoid waiting times' was the main reason and it was significantly more frequent in 2019 compared with 2006 (adjusted OR 1.75; 95% CI 1.45 to 2.11). CONCLUSIONS: This comparative study, conducted the year before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighted an increase in the prevalence of Italian residents who have fully paid out of pocket for access to health services to overcome long waiting times. Our findings may indicate a reduced access and possible worsening of the equity of access to the public and universalistic Italian NHS between 2006 and 2019.


Asunto(s)
COVID-19 , Medicina Estatal , Humanos , Estudios Transversales , Pandemias , Servicios de Salud , Accesibilidad a los Servicios de Salud
8.
BMC Health Serv Res ; 23(1): 567, 2023 Jun 01.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-20237992

RESUMEN

INTRODUCTION: The availability of low-cost computing and digital telecommunication in the 1980s made telehealth practicable. Telehealth has the capacity to improve healthcare access and outcomes for patients while reducing healthcare costs across a wide range of health conditions and situations. OBJECTIVE: This study compares the adoption, advantages, and challenges of telehealth services between high-income (HICs) and low-and-middle-income countries (LMICs) before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed. The key search terms were: "Telehealth", "Telehealth in HICs", "Telehealth in LMICs", "Telehealth before COVID-19", "Telehealth during COVID-19". We searched exhaustively ProQuest, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, CINAHL, and EMBASE databases from 2012. Booleans OR/AND were combined with key search terms to increase relevant search results. The literature search and selection process followed the Sample, Phenomena of Interest, Design, Evaluation, and Research (SPIDER) question format. RESULTS: The adoption of telehealth before COVID-19 was generally low in both HICs and LMICs. The impact of COVID-19 accelerated the adoption of telehealth at the facility level but not nationwide in both high-income countries and LMICs. The rapid adoption of telehealth at the facility level in both high-income and LMICs introduced several challenges that are unique to each country and need to be addressed. CONCLUSION: The lack of national policies and regulations is making the adoption of telehealth at the national level challenging in both high and low-middle-income countries. Governments and Stakeholders of healthcare must consider telehealth as a healthcare procedure that should be deployed in clinical working procedures. Primary quantitative and qualitative studies must be conducted to address challenges encountered during the pilot implementation of telehealth services in both high-income countries and LMICs before and during pandemics.


Asunto(s)
COVID-19 , Humanos , COVID-19/epidemiología , Pandemias , Urgencias Médicas , Países en Desarrollo , Accesibilidad a los Servicios de Salud
9.
BMC Res Notes ; 16(1): 96, 2023 Jun 05.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-20237008

RESUMEN

OBJECTIVE: COVID-19 has caused tremendous damage to U.S. public health, but COVID vaccines can effectively reduce the risk of COVID-19 infections and related mortality. Our study aimed to quantify the association between proximity to a community healthcare facility and COVID-19 related mortality after COVID vaccines became publicly available and explore how this association varied across racial and ethnic groups. RESULTS: Residents living farther from a facility had higher COVID-19-related mortality across U.S. counties. This increased mortality incidence associated with longer distances was particularly pronounced in counties with higher proportions of Black and Hispanic populations.


Asunto(s)
COVID-19 , Humanos , COVID-19/epidemiología , COVID-19/mortalidad , COVID-19/prevención & control , COVID-19/terapia , Vacunas contra la COVID-19/uso terapéutico , Etnicidad , Disparidades en el Estado de Salud , Hispánicos o Latinos , Estados Unidos/epidemiología , Accesibilidad a los Servicios de Salud , Centros Comunitarios de Salud , Negro o Afroamericano
10.
J Med Internet Res ; 25: e44188, 2023 07 10.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-20234490

RESUMEN

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the digital transition in health care, which required a rapid adaptation for stakeholders. Telemedicine has emerged as an ideal tool to ensure continuity of care by allowing remote access to specialized medical services. However, its rapid implementation has exacerbated disparities in health care access, especially for the most susceptible populations. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to characterize the determinant factors (facilitators and barriers) of access to hospital medical specialty telemedicine consultations during the COVID-19 pandemic and to identify the main opportunities and challenges (technological, ethical, legal, and social) generated by the use of telemedicine in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review according to PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. A total of 4 databases (Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, and Cochrane COVID-19 Study Register) were searched for empirical studies published between January 3, 2020, and December 31, 2021, using established criteria. The protocol of this review was registered and published in PROSPERO (CRD42022302825). A methodological quality assessment was performed, and the results were integrated into a thematic synthesis. The identification of the main opportunities and challenges was done by interpreting and aggregating the thematic synthesis results. RESULTS: Of the 106 studies identified, 9 met the inclusion criteria and the intended quality characteristics. All studies were originally from the United States. The following facilitating factors of telemedicine use were identified: health insurance coverage; prevention of SARS-CoV-2 infection; access to internet services; access to technological devices; better management of work-life balance; and savings in travel costs. We identified the following barriers to telemedicine use: lack of access to internet services; lack of access to technological devices; racial and ethnic disparities; low digital literacy; low income; age; language barriers; health insurance coverage; concerns about data privacy and confidentiality; geographic disparities; and the need for complementary diagnostic tests or the delivery of test results. CONCLUSIONS: The facilitating factors and barriers identified in this systematic review present different opportunities and challenges, including those of a technological nature (access to technological devices and internet services and level of digital literacy), a sociocultural and demographic nature (ethnic and racial disparities, geographic disparities, language barriers, and age), a socioeconomic nature (income level and health insurance coverage), and an ethical and legal nature (data privacy and confidentiality). To expand telemedicine access to hospital-based specialty medical consultations and provide high-quality care to all, including the most susceptible communities, the challenges identified must be thoroughly researched and addressed with informed and dedicated responses.


Asunto(s)
COVID-19 , Telemedicina , Transición a la Atención de Adultos , Humanos , COVID-19/epidemiología , Pandemias , SARS-CoV-2 , Telemedicina/métodos , Accesibilidad a los Servicios de Salud , Derivación y Consulta , Hospitales
12.
BMC Health Serv Res ; 23(1): 513, 2023 May 20.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2324888

RESUMEN

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 pandemic posed a major impact on the availability and affordability of essential medicines. This study aimed to assess the knock-on effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the supply availability of non-communicable chronic disease (NCD) medicines and paracetamol products in Ethiopia. METHODS: A mixed methods study was conducted to assess the supply and availability of twenty-four NCD drugs and four paracetamol products listed on the national essential medicines list for hospitals. Data were collected from twenty-six hospitals located in seven zones of Oromia region in the southwestern part of Ethiopia. We extracted data on drug availability, cost and stock out for these drugs between May 2019 and December 2020. The quantitative data were entered into Microsoft Excel and exported to statistical package software for social science (SPSS) version 22 (IBM Corporation, Armonk, NY, USA) software for analysis. RESULTS: The overall mean availability of selected basket medicines was 63.4% (range 16.7% to 80.3%) during the pre-COVID-19 time. It was 46.3% (range 2.8% to 88.7) during the pandemic. There was a relative increase in the availability of two paracetamol products [paracetamol 500 mg tablet (67.5% versus 88.7%) and suppository (74.5% versus 88%)] during the pandemic. The average monthly orders fill rates for the selected products range from 43 to 85%. Pre-COVID-19, the average order fill rate was greater or equal to 70%. However, immediately after the COVID-19 case notification, the percentage of order(s) filled correctly in items and quantities began decreasing. Political instability, shortage of trained human resources, currency inflation, and limited drug financing were considered as the major challenges to medicine supply. CONCLUSION: The overall stock out situation in the study area has worsened during COVID-19 compared to pre-COVID-19 time. None of the surveyed chronic disease basket medicines met the ideal availability benchmark of 80% in health facilities. However, availability of paracetamol 500 mg tablet surprisingly improved during the pandemic. A range of policy frameworks and options targeting inevitable outbreaks should exist to enable governments to ensure that medicines for chronic diseases are consistently available and affordable.


Asunto(s)
COVID-19 , Medicamentos Esenciales , Enfermedades no Transmisibles , Humanos , COVID-19/epidemiología , Pandemias , Acetaminofén , Etiopía/epidemiología , Medicamentos Genéricos , Accesibilidad a los Servicios de Salud
13.
BMC Psychol ; 11(1): 164, 2023 May 19.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2324568

RESUMEN

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has had major and potentially long-lasting effects on mental health and wellbeing across populations worldwide. However, these impacts were not felt equally, leading to an exacerbation of health inequalities, especially affecting vulnerable populations such as migrants, refugees and asylum seekers. Aiming to inform the adaptation and implementation of psychological intervention programmes, the present study investigated priority mental health needs in this population group. METHODS: Participants were adult asylum seekers, refugees and migrants (ARMs) and stakeholders with experience in the field of migration living in Verona, Italy, and fluent in Italian and English. A two-stage process was carried out to examine their needs using qualitative methods including free listing interviews and focus group discussions, according to Module One of the DIME (Design, Implementation, Monitoring, and Evaluation) manual. Data were analyzed using an inductive thematic analyses approach. RESULTS: A total of 19 participants (12 stakeholders, 7 ARMs) completed the free listing interviews and 20 participants (12 stakeholders and 8 ARMs) attended focus group discussions. Salient problems and functions that emerged during free listing interviews were discussed during the focus group discussions. During the COVID-19 pandemic, ARMs struggled with many everyday living difficulties in their resettlement country due to social and economic issues, revealing a strong influence of contextual factors in determining mental health. Both ARMs and stakeholders highlighted a mismatch between needs, expectations and interventions as factors that may hamper proper implementation of health and social programmes. CONCLUSIONS: The present findings could help in the adaptation and implementation of psychological interventions targeting the needs of asylum seekers, refugees and migrants aiming to find a match between needs, expectations, and the corresponding interventions. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Registration number 2021-UNVRCLE-0106707, February 11 2021.


Asunto(s)
COVID-19 , Migrantes , Adulto , Humanos , Pandemias , COVID-19/epidemiología , Investigación Cualitativa , Accesibilidad a los Servicios de Salud
14.
Inquiry ; 60: 469580221135953, 2023.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2322708

RESUMEN

Baltimore, Maryland's entrenched racial residential segregation renders the city's world-class medical facilities and services inaccessible to many Black residents living in its most divested neighborhoods. Arguing the need for post-pandemic health care facilities to address health inequities as a practice of care-giving, this article describes a project funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to define a novel, transdisciplinary methodology for identifying ideal vacant sites for conversion into community clinics in Baltimore's most vulnerable neighborhoods. Positioning architecture as a social determinant of health, this paper suggests ethical and methodological reorientations toward a compassionate approach to clinic design and placement.


Asunto(s)
Promoción de la Salud , Accesibilidad a los Servicios de Salud , Humanos , Baltimore , Instituciones de Atención Ambulatoria
15.
AIDS Behav ; 27(Suppl 1): 84-93, 2023 May.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2321431

RESUMEN

We investigated perceived impacts of COVID-19 on the delivery of adolescent HIV treatment and prevention services in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) by administering a survey to members of the Adolescent HIV Prevention and Treatment Implementation Science Alliance (AHISA) from February to April 2021. We organized COVID-19 impacts, as perceived by AHISA teams, under three themes: service interruptions, service adjustments, and perceived individual-level health impacts. AHISA teams commonly reported interruptions to prevention programs, diagnostic testing, and access to antiretroviral therapy (ART). Common service adjustments included decentralization of ART refills, expanded multi-month ART distribution, and digital technology use. Perceived individual-level impacts included social isolation, loss to follow-up, food insecurity, poverty, and increases in adolescent pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections. The need for collaboration among stakeholders were commonly cited as lessons learned by AHISA teams. Survey findings highlight the need for implementation science research to evaluate the effects of pandemic-related HIV service adaptations in SSA.


Asunto(s)
Síndrome de Inmunodeficiencia Adquirida , COVID-19 , Infecciones por VIH , Embarazo , Femenino , Humanos , Adolescente , COVID-19/prevención & control , Infecciones por VIH/tratamiento farmacológico , Infecciones por VIH/epidemiología , Infecciones por VIH/prevención & control , Síndrome de Inmunodeficiencia Adquirida/tratamiento farmacológico , Accesibilidad a los Servicios de Salud , Antirretrovirales/uso terapéutico
16.
Chron Respir Dis ; 20: 14799731231172518, 2023.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2313784

RESUMEN

Patients' perspectives on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their access to asthma and COPD healthcare could inform better, more equitable care delivery. We demonstrate this topic using British Columbia (BC), Canada, where the impact of the pandemic has not been described. We co-designed a cross-sectional survey with patient partners and administered it to a convenience sample of people living with asthma and COPD in BC between September 2020 and March 2021. We aimed to understand how access to healthcare for these conditions was affected during the pandemic. The survey asked respondents to report their characteristics, access to healthcare for asthma and COPD, types of services they found disrupted and telehealth (telephone or video appointment) use during the pandemic. We analysed 433 responses and found that access to healthcare for asthma and COPD was lower during the pandemic than pre-pandemic (p < 0.001). Specialty care services were most frequently reported as disrupted, while primary care, home care and diagnostics were least disrupted. Multivariable logistic regression revealed that access during the pandemic was positively associated with self-assessed financial ability (OR = 22.0, 95% CI: 7.0 - 84.0, p < 0.001, reference is disagreeing with having financial ability) and living in medium-sized urban areas (OR = 2.3, 95% CI: 1.0 - 5.2, p = 0.04, reference is rural areas). These disparities in access should be validated post-pandemic to confirm whether they still persist. They also indicate the continued relevance of exploring approaches for more equitable healthcare.


Asunto(s)
Asma , COVID-19 , Enfermedad Pulmonar Obstructiva Crónica , Telemedicina , Humanos , COVID-19/epidemiología , COVID-19/complicaciones , Pandemias , Colombia Británica/epidemiología , Autoinforme , Estudios Transversales , Enfermedad Pulmonar Obstructiva Crónica/epidemiología , Enfermedad Pulmonar Obstructiva Crónica/terapia , Enfermedad Pulmonar Obstructiva Crónica/complicaciones , Asma/epidemiología , Asma/terapia , Asma/complicaciones , Accesibilidad a los Servicios de Salud , Encuestas y Cuestionarios
19.
J Med Internet Res ; 25: e43604, 2023 05 12.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2320437

RESUMEN

BACKGROUND: Despite considerable efforts to encourage telehealth use during the COVID-19 pandemic, we witnessed a potential widening of health inequities that may continue to plague the US health care system unless we mitigate modifiable risk factors. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine the hypothesis that there are systemic differences in telehealth usage among people who live at or below 200% of the federal poverty level. Factors that we consider are age, gender, race, ethnicity, education, employment status, household size, and income. METHODS: A retrospective observational study was performed using the COVID-19 Research Database to analyze factors contributing to telehealth inequities. The study period ranged from March 2020 to April 2021. The Office Ally database provided US claims data from 100 million unique patients and 3.4 billion claims. The Analytics IQ PeopleCore Consumer database is nationally representative of 242.5 million US adults aged 19 years and older. We analyzed medical claims to investigate the influence of demographic and socioeconomic factors on telehealth usage among the low-income racial and ethnic minority populations. We conducted a multiple logistic regression analysis to determine the odds of patients in diverse groups using telehealth during the study period. RESULTS: Among 2,850,831 unique patients, nearly 60% of them were female, 75% of them had a high school education or less, 49% of them were unemployed, and 62% of them identified as non-Hispanic White. Our results suggest that 9.84% of the patients had ≥1 telehealth claims during the study period. Asian (odds ratio [OR] 1.569, 95% CI 1.528-1.611, P<.001) and Hispanic (OR 1.612, 95% CI 1.596-1.628, P<.001) patients were more likely to use telehealth than non-Hispanic White and -Black patients. Patients who were employed full-time were 15% (OR 1.148, 95% CI 1.133-1.164, P<.001) more likely to use telehealth than unemployed patients. Patients who identified as male were 12% (OR 0.875, 95% CI 0.867-0.883, P<.001) less likely to use telehealth than those who identified as female. Patients with high school education or less were 5% (OR 0.953, 95% CI 0.944-0.962, P<.001) less likely to use telehealth than those with a bachelor's degree or higher. Patients in the 18-44-year age group were 32% (OR 1.324, 95% CI 1.304-1.345, P<.001) more likely to use telehealth than those in the ≥65-year age group. CONCLUSIONS: Factors that impact telehealth usage include age, gender, race, education, employment status, and income. While low-income racial and ethnic minority communities are at greater risk for health inequities among this group, Hispanic communities are more likely to use telehealth, and non-Hispanic Black patients continue to demonstrate telehealth inequity. Gender, age, and household income contribute to health inequities across gradients of poverty. Strategies to improve health use should consider characteristics of subgroups, as people do not experience poverty equally.


Asunto(s)
COVID-19 , Accesibilidad a los Servicios de Salud , Telemedicina , Adolescente , Adulto , Anciano , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Adulto Joven , COVID-19/epidemiología , Hispánicos o Latinos , Pandemias , Pobreza , Estados Unidos/epidemiología , Blanco , Negro o Afroamericano , Asiático
20.
Front Public Health ; 11: 1154574, 2023.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2320292

RESUMEN

Telehealth has been widely employed and has transformed how healthcare is delivered in the United States as a result of COVID-19 pandemic. While telehealth is utilized and encouraged to reduce the cost and travel burden for access to healthcare, there are debates on whether telehealth can promote equity in healthcare services by narrowing the gap among diverse groups. Using the Two-Step Floating Catchment Area (2SFCA) and Two-Step Virtual Catchment Area (2SVCA) methods, this study compares the disparities of physical and virtual access to primary care physicians (PCPs) in Louisiana. Both physical and virtual access to PCPs exhibit similar spatial patterns with higher scores concentrated in urban areas, followed by low-density and rural areas. However, the two accessibility measures diverge where broadband availability and affordability come to play an important role. Residents in rural areas experience additive disadvantage of even more limited telehealth accessibility than physical accessibility due to lack of broadband service provision. Areas with greater Black population proportions tend to have better physical accessibility, but such an advantage is eradicated for telehealth accessibility because of lower broadband subscription rates in these neighborhoods. Both physical and virtual accessibility scores decline in neighborhoods with higher Area Deprivation Index (ADI) values, and the disparity is further widened for in virtual accessibility compared to than physical accessibility. The study also examines how factors such as urbanicity, Black population proportion, and ADI interact in their effects on disparities of the two accessibility measures.


Asunto(s)
Acceso a Atención Primaria , COVID-19 , Estados Unidos , Humanos , Pandemias , Accesibilidad a los Servicios de Salud , COVID-19/epidemiología , Louisiana
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