Telehealth Encourages Patients with Diabetes in Racial and Ethnic Minority Groups to Return for in-Person Ophthalmic Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Open Access
- 1 July 2022
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Taylor & Francis Ltd in Clinical Ophthalmology
- Vol. ume 16, 2157-2166
- https://doi.org/10.2147/opth.s368972
Abstract
Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic had a disproportionate impact on patients from racial and/or ethnic minority groups, causing many to delay healthcare. This study evaluates the role telehealth visits played in helping patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) return for subsequent, in-person eye examinations after the outbreak of COVID-19. Methods: This retrospective, cross-sectional study analyzed 8147 patients with DM who had completed an outpatient ophthalmology and/or optometry visit in 2019 and who were due for return evaluation after the outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020. Factors associated with return for subsequent, in-person eye examination were assessed. Results: The mean age of patients was 68.8 (± 13.0) years, and 42% were women. 7.4% of patients identified as Asian; 2.9% as Black; 3.4% as Hispanic or Latin American; 0.92%, as more than one race; 1.78%, as other races; and 80.7% as White. Patients from racial and/or ethnic minority groups completed fewer in-person eye examinations after the outbreak of COVID-19 compared with White patients (35.6% versus 44.5%, χ2=36.172, P< 0.001). However, both groups accessed telehealth services at a similar rate during this period (21.1% versus 21.9%, χ2=0.417, P=0.518). Importantly, patients who received telehealth services returned for subsequent, in-person eye examinations at substantially higher rates, regardless of race (51.0% and 46.6%, respectively, χ2=1.840, P=0.175). This offset the otherwise lower rate of return experienced by patients from racial and/or ethnic minority groups compared with White patients among the group of patients who did not receive any telehealth services (32.7% versus 42.7%, χ2=36.582, P< 0.001). The impact of telehealth on the likelihood of in-person return remained significant after taking into account age, gender, race, language, residence, severity of diabetic retinopathy (DR), and vision in a multivariate model. Conclusion: Telehealth initiatives benefited patients from racial and/or ethnic minority groups by reducing disparities in access to eye care experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic.Keywords
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