Language, technology barriers hinder Latino, Asian telehealth use; hybrid approach can improve care.
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of telehealth services in providing care to patients, particularly those from marginalized communities. A recent study by the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute found that language barriers and limited access to technology have hindered Latino and Asian patients in Los Angeles from making full use of telehealth services. The research also revealed that Black and white patients had greater ease with video visits. To address these issues, the authors recommend that health care systems and providers invest in programs that provide technology support and allocate technology devices and internet services to their patients. This could help address the longstanding inequities in access to and use of health care services that communities of color have faced. Ultimately, telehealth services are an important way of providing care to patients, and it is important to ensure that everyone, regardless of their age, race, ethnicity or language spoken, has access to these services.
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