Addressing disparities in telehealth access for children on the Southside of Chicago

Rapid implementation of telehealth exacerbated the digital divide, creating uneven distribution in access, use, or impact of communication technologies among distinct groups. Our aim was to identify factors impacting access to telehealth in a pediatric specialty clinic.

This retrospective cohort study used survey methods and electronic health record (EHR) data to examine telehealth access during the COVID-19 pandemic in the South Side of Chicago.

Of 193 patient encounters reviewed, 127 met inclusion criteria. 42 parent surveys were completed, with 36 completed visits. No shows included a higher proportion of Hispanic and non-English speaking patients from areas with lower median income. Our parent questionnaire showed association of no-show rates with lower caregiver education (p ​= ​0.005), non-English speaking (p ​= ​0.015), difficulty accessing internet (p ​= ​0.011), and only smartphone internet access (p ​= ​0.002).

Completion of telehealth visits was impacted by ethnicity, education, and digital access. Future work is needed to address these areas.