Postpandemic Telehealth Use: Patterns and Barriers for Older Adults in the United States, 2024

Objectives. To examine telehealth use and modality choice among US older adults (≥ 65 years) and identify factors associated with adoption and modality preference in the postpandemic era. Methods. Using data from 2723 device-owning older adults in the 2024 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS 7; nationally representative, March-September 2024), multivariable logistic and multinomial logit models examined associations between telehealth use, modality, and covariates, including socioeconomic factors, health conditions, digital literacy, and prior health information technology use. Results. Overall, 31.4% of older adults used telehealth in 2024 (video: 12.38%; phone-only: 12.41%). Higher odds of use were associated with Hispanic ethnicity (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.92; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.07, 3.81), lung disease (AOR = 2.32; 95% CI = 1.22, 4.42), depression (AOR = 1.89; 95% CI = 1.01, 3.54), and frequent provider visits; lower odds were associated with nonmetropolitan adjacent residence (AOR = 0.36; 95% CI = 0.17, 0.76) and health insurance coverage (AOR = 0.13; 95% CI = 0.03, 0.62). In addition to these factors, video use was uniquely associated with higher income, ability to use apps without assistance, and prior health IT use. Nonusers most commonly cited preference for in-person care (45.7%) or not being offered telehealth (13.4%). Conclusions. Telehealth use has stabilized but remains low among US older adults, with persistent geographic and socioeconomic disparities in modality choice. Policies ensuring audio-only parity and targeted digital literacy interventions are essential to promote equitable telehealth access as telehealth becomes integrated into postpandemic care. (Am J Public Health. 2026;116(S3): S218-S228. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2026.308575).