Disparities in Access to Pediatric Otolaryngology Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic

OBJECTIVE: Racial/ethnic minority pediatric otolaryngology patients experience health disparities, including barriers to accessing health care. Our hypothesis for this study is that Hispanic or economically disadvantaged patients would represent a larger percentage of missed appointments and report more barriers to receiving care during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey utilizing a modified version of the Barriers to Care Questionnaire was administered via telephone to no-show patients, and median income by zip code was collected. Chi-squared, logistic regression, and Student’s t-tests were used to investigate any differences in those who did and did not keep their appointments as well as any differences in mean questionnaire scores. RESULTS: No-show patients were more likely to be Hispanic than not (OR 2.3, 95% CI: 1.3, 3.9, P = .002) and to live in a zip code that had a median income less than 200% of the federal poverty level (OR 1.7, 95% CI: 1.2, 2.4, P = .004). Respondents with a high school degree tended to report more barriers to care compared to those with less education. CONCLUSION: In our study, we identified ethnic, financial, and logistic concerns that may contribute to patients failing to keep their appointments with the otolaryngology clinic. Future studies are needed to assess the efficacy of measures aimed to reduce these barriers to care such as preventive plans to assist new patients and expanding telehealth services.