A new study by Thomas Jefferson University researchers, in partnership with Esperanza Health Center , aims to address barriers to digital health among the Latino population in Philadelphia.
"Telehealth has become one of the primary access points into health care, especially since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic," says the study's senior author Kristin Rising, MD , executive director of Jefferson's Center for Connected Care . "We wanted to understand the barriers people face in engaging with telehealth and how we can help address them, particularly for underserved populations, so that we can reduce disparities in healthcare access."
The researchers interviewed Latino patients at the Esperanza Health Center to understand their experiences with healthcare-related technology and their willingness to learn more about using it. The researchers identified several key obstacles, including limited digital literacy, language barriers and a lack of trust in telehealth platforms. Significantly, many patients had difficulty navigating online portals in English. Additionally, issues such as the lack of privacy in shared living spaces and concerns about the quality of care through virtual visits also emerged as barriers.
To address these challenges, the research team collaborated with community members at Esperanza to develop short, accessible videos to teach patients how to perform essential tasks like resetting passwords or requesting medication refills on health portals. These videos were then made available in the clinic, where patients could view them while waiting for their appointments.
Karla González, MPP, research coordinator at Jefferson and a contributing author of the study, emphasized the importance of academic institution partnerships with community organizations like Esperanza.
"As a Latina immigrant, I care deeply about developing culturally sensitive health interventions for this population," González says. "Including community perspectives is essential in that process."
Looking ahead, Dr. Rising and her team hope to scale their interventions across Jefferson's health system, providing bedside digital health training for patients. They also aim to partner with more community organizations to expand digital literacy programs.
By Queen Muse
