Associations between language, telehealth, and clinical outcomes in patients with cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic
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View abstract on PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.Telehealth use in cancer care varied by primary language, with non-English speakers showing less utilization. Language barriers may worsen health disparities, highlighting the need to optimize telehealth for all cancer patients.
Area Of Science
- Oncology
- Health Services Research
- Health Equity
Background
- The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated telehealth adoption, but language barriers pose challenges for limited English proficient (LEP) individuals.
- Effective communication is crucial in cancer care, making language's role in telehealth outcomes a critical area of study.
- Disparities in telehealth access and outcomes may impact vulnerable patient populations.
Purpose Of The Study
- To evaluate the impact of telehealth utilization and primary language on clinical outcomes in cancer patients.
- To identify potential disparities in cancer care delivery related to language and technology.
Main Methods
- Retrospective cohort study of 7890 cancer patients at a comprehensive cancer center (March 2020 - December 2022).
- Analysis of in-person versus telehealth visits and their association with clinical outcomes.
- Comparison of outcomes between English-speaking and non-English speaking (specifically Spanish-speaking) patient groups.
Main Results
- Telehealth utilization decreased among non-English speaking cancer patients during the pandemic.
- Increased telehealth use correlated with higher admission rates and longer admission durations.
- Spanish-speaking telehealth users had higher readmission rates than English-speaking telehealth users.
- Patients who died had higher telehealth utilization rates compared to survivors.
Conclusions
- Primary language significantly influences telehealth utilization and clinical outcomes in cancer care.
- The interaction between telehealth and language may exacerbate existing health disparities.
- Optimizing telehealth services is essential to ensure equitable, high-quality cancer care in the digital era.
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