Exploring Barriers Toward Telehealth in an Underserved, Uninsured Patient Population

Background: Telehealth has untapped potential to improve health care for underserved communities. However, it remains underutilized, limiting opportunities to improve continuity of care and health care outcomes. This pilot study investigates attitudes and barriers to telehealth at Stony Brook HOME, Renaissance School of Medicine’s student-run free-health clinic in Suffolk County, NY. Methods: Surveys (n = 100) were electronically administered bimonthly during clinic waiting room time from May 2022 to August 2023 in both English (40%) and Spanish (60%). Surveys collected information on patient demographics, perceived patient barriers and attitudes to telehealth, and technological comfort levels. Results: Most patients were Hispanic/Latino (68%), female (54%), and 40-60 years old (52%). Spanish speakers often come from high social vulnerability regions. English speakers were more likely to own a smartphone, computer, or tablet than Spanish speakers (p = 0.046). English speakers reported higher levels of technological comfort using a smartphone or tablet (p = 0.0033) and using it for their health care (p = 0.03). Finally, 100% of English speakers reported reliable internet access compared to 66.7% of Spanish speakers. Discussion: These results demonstrate that barriers to telehealth are being disproportionately felt by Spanish speakers, thus necessitating survey-directed interventions to address this disparity.