Abstract
Purpose :
To identify and evaluate correlations between patient characteristics and lack of access to technology as a barrier to tele-ophthalmology care.
Methods :
This is a single-center cross-sectional survey study at a university-based outpatient ophthalmology clinic at the Oregon Health & Science University Casey Eye Institute. Patients over the age of 18 from outpatient clinics were contacted over the phone or in person from April 2021 to June 2021. The participant completed a 13-question cross-sectional survey including questions regarding demographics, socioeconomic status, and availability and ease of use of electronic devices. Informed consent was obtained prior to the start of the survey.
Results :
Of a total of 145 participants, the mean age was 66.5 years old (SD=14.8 years). Participants who had and knew how to use a smart phone (n=128, 88.3%) were younger (Mean =64.7 years) compared to those who could not (n=17, 11.7%, Mean =80.4, p < 0.001). More White non-Hispanic patients had and knew how to use a computer (n=108, 92.3%) versus other racial identities who were more likely to not have a computer (n=9, 32.2%, p < 0.001). This trend was especially apparent for Black and Hispanic patients. Those with an income of >50K were more likely to prefer virtual visits (n=38, 77.6%) over in-person visits (n=39, 50%, P=0.016). Participants who lived in metropolitan areas (n=128, 88.3%) were more likely to prefer in-person visits (n=72, 56%) compared to those in rural areas (n=6, 4.1%) being more likely to prefer virtual visits (n=4, 67%, P=0.024).
Conclusions :
Telemedicine has allowed an increase in access to care in many medical specialties. However, these data suggest that tele-ophthalmology may be less accessible to patients of older age and non-White patients, especially Black and Hispanic patients. To avoid exacerbating disparities in access to healthcare for these patient populations, future work should be invested in offering technological education and resources to these groups.
This abstract was presented at the 2024 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Seattle, WA, May 5-9, 2024.