Telehealth Utilization During COVID-19 Among People with Diagnosed Mental Health Conditions

Despite the potential benefits and the demonstrated uptake throughout the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, studies have found that telemental health is still underused. The objective of the study was to explore the associations between mental health diagnoses and telehealth utilization during the pandemic.The study utilized a cross-sectional survey among adult Arkansans (n = 754). Logistic regression was used to determine the association between a diagnosis of anxiety and/or depression and telehealth utilization.Forty-two percent of respondents reported utilizing telehealth during the pandemic. Respondents with a diagnosis of anxiety and/or depression had three times greater odds of utilizing telehealth (odds ratio = 2.97) than those with no diagnoses.Utilization of telehealth care during the COVID-19 pandemic was lower in our sample compared with other nationally representative surveys; however, utilization was higher among people with a diagnosis of anxiety and/or depression.The results indicate the need for outreach to increase telehealth utilization.