Telemedicine Use in a Low-Income Latino Pediatric Population
Author Information
Author(s): Eysenbach Gunther, Badawy Sherif, Kan Kristin, Zettler-Greeley Cynthia, Rufo Paul A, Cho Logan D. D, Pathak Priya R MPH, MD, Stockwell Melissa S MPH, MD, Lane Mariellen M MD, Robbins-Milne Laura MD, Friedman Suzanne MD, Pethe Kalpana MD, Krause Margaret C MD, Soren Karen MD, Matiz Luz Adriana MD, Solomon Lauren B RD, MS, Burke Maria E MBA, Bracho-Sanchez Edith MD
Primary Institution: Columbia University
Hypothesis
What is the relationship between demographics, patient portal activation, and telemedicine visits in a low-income, primarily Latino population?
Conclusion
Telemedicine was widely used for various diagnoses in a low-income, primarily Latino population, indicating strong engagement and interest.
Supporting Evidence
- 87.5% of patients had activated the patient portal.
- 33.8% of patients had at least 1 telemedicine visit.
- Infectious disease was the most common diagnosis category.
- Telemedicine engagement varied by age, with younger and older patients showing higher usage.
- Language-based disparities were noted in telemedicine access.
Takeaway
This study shows that many Latino families used telemedicine for their children's health care during the pandemic, which helped them get the care they needed.
Methodology
Data were collected on all in-person and telemedicine visits from February 2020 through April 2021 for 4 community-based pediatric practices, with analyses including bivariate tests and multivariate regression.
Potential Biases
Potential biases related to the accuracy of race and ethnicity data in electronic health records.
Limitations
Findings may not be generalizable beyond the specific geographic and temporal context of the study.
Participant Demographics
83.4% Latino, 50% female, 52.6% younger than 5 years, 44.6% Spanish speaking.
Statistical Information
Confidence Interval
95% CI 0.51-0.76
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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