Telehealth Use in Asian Americans: Closing or Widening the Gap in Health Access?

Telehealth use rapidly expands and provides critical access to health care services. However, evidence is scarce regarding telehealth use in Asian Americans. We conducted a cross-sectional study in 265 Asian American adults and examined personal, interpersonal, clinical, access, and geographic factors that interplay in telehealth use, using data from the 2022 Health Information National Trends Survey. Data analysis used descriptive statistics and logistic regressions. Telehealth was used by 42.4% of Asian Americans during the last year. Asian American males and those with low income were less likely to use telehealth, whereas those in the West region, diagnosed with depression, and with better patient-centered communication were more likely to use telehealth. Among them, a diagnosis of depression was the most significant predictor of telehealth use (odds ratio=4.66, 95% CI=1.45-14.97). Telehealth was well accepted by Asian Americans; however, significant disparities existed in telehealth use by personal, interpersonal, clinical, access, and geographic factors. Communication that is both clear and patient-centered is essential for telehealth to bridge the gap in health access. Adequate training is also essential for health care providers to maximize quality care and promote positive patient outcomes. Future research identifying and addressing specific predictors of telehealth to each Asian American ethnic subgroup is crucial to clearly portray disparities in telehealth use across subgroups. National health surveys need oversampling of Asian Americans for a direct comparison with other racial groups and within Asian subgroups.