TDNet Discover

The purpose of this quantitative, non-experimental, correlational study is to examine the extent to which socioeconomic status, race or ethnicity, geographic location, and health insurance coverage predict telehealth utilization among adults in the United States. Using secondary data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System collected between 2020 and 2023, the study will analyze telehealth use among non-institutionalized adults aged 18 years and older. Guided by Andersen’s Behavioral Model of Health Services Use, the study will examine how predisposing, enabling, and need factors influence access to digital healthcare services. Logistic regression analyses will be conducted using nationally representative sampling weights to assess the predictive relationships between the independent variables and telehealth utilization. Additional analyses will compare predictor effects across age groups and among adults with chronic health conditions, including diabetes, hypertension, and mental health disorders. The findings of this study are expected to contribute to the understanding of persistent disparities in telehealth access and provide evidence to support healthcare administrators, policymakers, and public health planners in developing equitable telehealth strategies and digital health policies. Recommendations for future research will focus on expanding the examination of digital access variables and evaluating interventions aimed at reducing structural barriers to telehealth utilization.