Telehealth Acceptance among Appalachian Respondents During COVID 19: A Secondary Data Analysis

Authors

  • Victoria Hood-Wells, PhD(c), BSN, MSN East Tennessee State University College of Nursing
  • Florence M. Weierbach, PhD, BSN, MPH East Tennessee State University College of Nursing, Graduate Programs, Center for Cardiovascular risk Research
  • Amy E. Wahlquist, BS, MS Center for Rural Health Research, College of Public Health, East Tennessee State University
  • Janet Keener, Ed.D  East Tennessee State University Research Computing and Information Technology Services
  • Manik Ahuja, PhD, MA East Tennessee State University College of Public Health, Department Health Services Mangement and Policy, Center for Cardiovascular Risk Research
  • Hadii Mamudu, PhD, MA, MPA, FAHA East Tennessee State University College of Public Health, Department of Health Services Management and Policy, Center for Cardiovascular Risk research

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between telehealth use, telehealth satisfaction, and chronic medical conditions among residents living in Appalachian and non-Appalachian communities.

Sample: A COVID-19 public health survey was distributed via social media and healthcare clinics in the tri-state region of central Appalachia. Survey responses were limited to adults aged ≥18 years who consented to participate in the survey that self-identified as an individual with one or more chronic medical conditions (n=195).

Method: Simple descriptive statistics including frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations (SDs) were calculated for variables of interest both overall and by subgroups of interest. Chi-squared tests were used to compare categorical outcomes between groups of interest, while two-sample t-tests were used for continuous outcomes. Significance for all tests was determined using an α level of 0.05.

Findings: There is no statistically significant relationship between respondents with regard to using telehealth services, satisfaction rates related to telehealth use, or reasons for electing not to use telehealth services during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there was a trending statistical relationship between county status and the use of telehealth services in Appalachia with those counties doing economically better being more likely to use telehealth services as compared to those fairing less well (p=0.053). Findings also suggest that people living in urban areas of Appalachia were more likely to be satisfied using telehealth services than those living in non-urban areas of Appalachia (p=0.01).           

Conclusions: Research is still limited as to how the expansion of broadband capabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic has benefited those residing in Appalachia in terms of managing chronic health conditions. Future research should focus on expanding participation among Appalachian respondents looking for specific differences related to location within Appalachia, age, gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status.

Keywords: Telehealth, Satisfaction, Rural, Appalachian, COVID-19
DOI:  https://doi.org/10.14574/ojrnhc.v22i2.715 

 

Author Biographies

  • Victoria Hood-Wells, PhD(c), BSN, MSN, East Tennessee State University College of Nursing

    PhD(c), BSN, MSN

    Instructor, College of Nursing, East Tennessee State University

  • Florence M. Weierbach, PhD, BSN, MPH, East Tennessee State University College of Nursing, Graduate Programs, Center for Cardiovascular risk Research

    Ph.D. BSN, MPH

    Professor of Nursing, East Tennessee State University (ETSU) , Associate Director at the Center for Cardiovascular Risk Research, College of Public Health

  • Amy E. Wahlquist, BS, MS, Center for Rural Health Research, College of Public Health, East Tennessee State University

    BS, MS 

    Research Associate Professor 

     

  • Janet Keener, Ed.D , East Tennessee State University Research Computing and Information Technology Services

    Ed.D 

    Research computing consultant 

  • Manik Ahuja, PhD, MA, East Tennessee State University College of Public Health, Department Health Services Mangement and Policy, Center for Cardiovascular Risk Research

    PhD, MA

    Assistant Professor, Associate Director for the Center for Cardiovascular risk research in the College of Public Health

  • Hadii Mamudu, PhD, MA, MPA, FAHA , East Tennessee State University College of Public Health, Department of Health Services Management and Policy, Center for Cardiovascular Risk research

    PhD, MA, MPA, FAHA

    Full Professor, Public Health,  Department of Health Services Management and Policy, Director of the Center for Cardiovascular risk research at East Tennessee State University, College of Public Health

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Published

2022-12-09

Issue

Vol. 22 No. 2 (2022): Online Journal of Rural Nursing and Health Care, 22(2)

Section

Articles

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