Tele-Mental Health Service: Unveiling the Disparity and Impact on Healthcare Access and Expenditures during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Mississippi

Yunxi Zhang (), Lincy S. Lal, Yueh-Yun Lin, J. Michael Swint, Ying Zhang, Richard L. Summers, Barbara F. Jones, Saurabh Chandra and Mark E. Ladner
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Yunxi Zhang: Department of Data Science, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS 39216, USA
Lincy S. Lal: Department of Management, Policy and Community Health, The University of Texas School of Public Health, Houston, TX 77030, USA
Yueh-Yun Lin: Center for Telehealth, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS 39216, USA
J. Michael Swint: Department of Management, Policy and Community Health, The University of Texas School of Public Health, Houston, TX 77030, USA
Ying Zhang: Center for Informatics and Analytics, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS 39216, USA
Richard L. Summers: Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS 39216, USA
Barbara F. Jones: Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS 39216, USA
Saurabh Chandra: Center for Telehealth, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS 39216, USA
Mark E. Ladner: Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS 39216, USA

IJERPH, 2024, vol. 21, issue 7, 1-11

Abstract: During the COVID-19 pandemic, tele-mental health (TMH) was a viable approach for providing accessible mental and behavioral health (MBH) services. This study examines the sociodemographic disparities in TMH utilization and its effects on healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) and medical expenditures in Mississippi. Utilizing a cohort of 6787 insured adult patients at the University of Mississippi Medical Center and its affiliated sites between January 2020 and June 2023, including 3065 who accessed TMH services, we observed sociodemographic disparities between TMH and non-TMH cohorts. The TMH cohort was more likely to be younger, female, White/Caucasian, using payment methods other than Medicare, Medicaid, or commercial insurers, residing in rural areas, and with higher household income compared to the non-TMH cohort. Adjusting for sociodemographic factors, TMH utilization was associated with a 190% increase in MBH-related outpatient visits, a 17% increase in MBH-related medical expenditures, and a 12% decrease in all-cause medical expenditures (all p < 0.001). Among rural residents, TMH utilization was associated with a 205% increase in MBH-related outpatient visits and a 19% decrease in all-cause medical expenditures (both p < 0.001). This study underscores the importance of addressing sociodemographic disparities in TMH services to promote equitable healthcare access while reducing overall medical expenditures.

Keywords: telehealth; mental health services; access to health care; healthcare resources; health expenditure; healthcare disparities; socioeconomic disparities; health equity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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