To assess patient characteristics linked to strong willingness to complete a future telehealth visit, focusing on digital literacy, technology-related attitudes, and chronic health conditions.
Approach:
Data Collection: Cross-sectional data from the HINTS 7 survey, conducted between March and September 2024, involving 7,278 non-institutionalized adults in the US.
Willingness Measurement: Analyzed responses indicating 'very willing' to participate in telehealth visits, contrasting with other willingness levels.
Sociodemographic Analysis: Examined education, race/ethnicity, sex assigned at birth, and age as factors influencing telehealth willingness.
Medical Conditions Assessment: Evaluated history of diabetes, hypertension, cardiac disease, chronic pulmonary disease, and depressive/anxiety disorders.
Health Literacy Proxy: Assessed confidence in filling out medical forms as a measure of health literacy.
Digital Engagement and Attitudes: Analyzed frequency of Internet use and attitudes towards technology to determine their impact on telehealth willingness.
Key Findings:
Patient satisfaction with telehealth visits is comparable to in-person visits.
63% of respondents cited lack of telehealth options as a reason for not completing a telehealth visit.
Digital literacy, technology-related frustration, and chronic health conditions influence willingness to engage in telehealth.
Limitations:
The study is based on self-reported data, which may be subject to bias.
The analysis is limited to adults aged 18 and older, potentially excluding younger populations.
Head and neck abscess incidence was more than 3-fold higher following the pandemic, while patient characteristics and treatment patterns remained largely similar.
