DOI: 10.1177/15305627261492657 ISSN: 1530-5627

Patterns and Determinants of Telehealth Use by Cancer Survivorship: A National Online Survey

Michelle Yang, Umayma Abdullatif, Nada Shalaby, Sagar Kamprath, Wei-Chen Lee
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Introduction:

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, telehealth utilization has increased substantially and remained well above pre-2020 levels. This study sought to determine whether cancer survivorship phase predicts telehealth utilization, perceived barriers, and benefits, informing future strategies to enhance digital care for this immuno-compromised population.

Methods:

We conducted a national cross-sectional survey to examine telehealth utilization among adults with and without a history of cancer ( n = 202). Participants were categorized as no cancer ( n = 40), having cancer 1–5 years since diagnosis ( n = 79), and having cancer ≥6 years since diagnosis ( n = 83). The primary outcome was utilization pattern by cancer history, and the secondary outcomes were determinants (5 perceived benefits and 6 perceived challenges) of telehealth use. Multivariable regression analyses of quantitative data and thematic qualitative analyses of qualitative responses were performed.

Results:

Adults diagnosed with cancer in 5 years demonstrated higher telehealth utilization followed by those with cancer for 6+ years, while those who never had cancer were least likely to engage (80.3%>62.5%>40.0%, p < 0.001). The most common challenge was poor internet quality (47.4% of the recent-cancer group) although there is no significant difference found. All three groups reported that flexibility was the most important benefit ( p = 0.034). Qualitative analysis echoed these findings, highlighting flexibility as major benefits (61.5%).

Conclusion:

Qualitative responses complemented the quantitative data with a better understanding of eight determinants of telehealth use. Policies promoting broadband reliability, multilingual access, and digital literacy are key to equitable telehealth engagement that meets different needs across cancer histories.

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