Community-Level Internet Connectivity and Utilization of Maternal Telehealth.

Autor:	Weinstein JM; Department of Health Policy and Management, University of North Carolina, Gillings School of Global Public Health, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.; Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA., Bozkurt B; Department of Health Policy and Management, University of North Carolina, Gillings School of Global Public Health, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.; Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA., Aijaz M; Department of Health Policy and Management, University of North Carolina, Gillings School of Global Public Health, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.; Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA., Cilenti D; Department of Maternal and Child Health, University of North Carolina Gillings School of Global Public Health, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA., Khairat S; Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.; School of Nursing, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA., Shea CM; Department of Health Policy and Management, University of North Carolina, Gillings School of Global Public Health, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.; Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA., Planey AM; Department of Health Policy and Management, University of North Carolina, Gillings School of Global Public Health, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.; Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
Jazyk:	angličtina
Zdroj:	Telemedicine journal and e-health : the official journal of the American Telemedicine Association [Telemed J E Health] 2024 Nov 11. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Nov 11.
DOI:	10.1089/tmj.2023.0670
Abstrakt:	Background: The COVID-19 pandemic brought about a drastic increase in the utilization of telehealth services in place of or as a complement to in-person health services. Telehealth is a tool to help reduce disparities in the receipt of maternal health care. However, a stable internet connection is required for patients to connect to providers via telehealth; lack of internet connectivity is a barrier to maternal telehealth access. Methods: The objectives of this research were to determine whether community-level internet penetration is associated with community-level utilization of maternal telehealth services and assess the heterogeneity of this association across the maternal telehealth utilization spectrum. A cross-sectional study of community-level maternal telehealth is utilized in the United States in 2019. The underlying population is comprised of commercially insured maternal health patients receiving any antenatal, delivery-related, or postpartum care in the United States. The individual-level utilization data are aggregated to the geo-zip level ( n = 404), which is a regional subdivision comprised of all zip codes that share the first three digits. Results: Findings show that the estimated relationship between the proportion of households with home-based internet connectivity was statistically significant at the 10th and 25th quantiles of maternal telehealth utilization. For these quantiles, an increase in community-level internet connectivity was associated with an increase in the utilization of maternal telehealth services. Conclusion: There is a positive association between community-level internet connectivity and maternal telehealth utilization, and the association varies in magnitude across the maternal telehealth utilization distribution. Policymakers should consider digital access when addressing telehealth policy for maternal care services.
Databáze:	MEDLINE
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