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Objective:To explore overall trends as well as racial/ethnic disparities in utilization of different telehealth modalities (telephone vs. televideo) at federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods:Using electronic health record data from a large New York-based FQHC system, we aggregated (separately) Behavioral Health and Family Practice visits per month occurring in-person, by telephone, or by televideo and graphed monthly trends in visits across the pre-pandemic, peak-pandemic, and post-peak-pandemic periods. We calculated fractions of visits conducted by modality for each patient demographic (race/ethnicity, primary language, age, gender, insurance type, and geography) and conducted bivariate assessments to test relationships between patient characteristics and modality. Results:Our data contained 121,072 unique patients and 811,105 visits overall. Telehealth use peaked in April 2020 but continued to account for a significant fraction of FQHC visits—nearly 25% (N = 4,908) of monthly Family Practice visits and a massive 98% (N = 14,173) of Behavioral Health visits as late as June 2021. Of all telehealth visits, nearly half were by telephone. Moreover, demographic factors differed between FQHC patients using telephone visits versus those using televideo: Black, non-English speaking, older, and Medicaid patients had significantly higher utilization of telephone visits than televideo visits (e.g., 25.9% of all Black patients' visits were via telephone vs. 17.1% via televideo; p < 0.001). In contrast, younger, Asian, and privately insured patients had significantly higher televideo visits. Conclusions:Our results suggest that telephone visits remain critical to the provision of health care for FQHC patients. They also suggest that disparities extend beyond the telehealth versus in-person dichotomy and inequities exist even within the type of telehealth used. This has implications for patient health, FQHC quality outcomes, as well as optimal Medicaid telehealth reimbursement policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although fears of colonoscopy may deter African Americans and Hispanics from having a screening colonoscopy, little is known about these fears. This study examined the proportion of African Americans and Hispanics who experience colonoscopy-specific fears and identified factors associated with these fears. Data were collected at an academic hospital in New York City between 2008–2010. African Americans (N = 383) and Hispanics (N = 407) who received a recommendation for a screening colonoscopy completed a questionnaire that assessed: colonoscopy-specific fears, demographics, and psychological variables. Presence of colonoscopy-specific fears was endorsed by 79.5% of participants. Being female (p < 0.001), speaking English (p < 0.001), having greater perceived risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) (p < 0.01), greater worry about risk of CRC (p < 0.01), greater fear of CRC (p < 0.001) and lower levels of self-efficacy of having a colonoscopy (p < 0.01) were associated with greater colonoscopy-specific fears. Results can inform interventions designed to assuage fears in African Americans and Hispanics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Expanded Syringe Access Demonstration Program (ESAP), which was intended to increase access to syringes for injection drug users (IDUs), went into effect in New York State on 1 January 2001. ESAP allowed prescription-authorized health care providers to register to distribute syringes without a prescription. In spring 2002, we conducted a random postal survey of 1100 providers in New York City to evaluate involvement in ESAP and willingness to furnish IDUs with syringes. Among 363 nurse practitioners, physicians, and physician assistants responding, 16.9% knew about ESAP, and 2.0% believed they were registered; 50.5% would consider distributing syringes to patients who were IDUs. Most of those unwilling to distribute syringes were concerned about legal and moral issues. More respondents agreed that providers should prescribe syringes than distribute syringes (41.1% vs. 22.7%; P<.0001). These results suggest that many providers are willing to furnish IDUs with syringes but are unaware of the current law. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]