Virtual Healthcare for Older Adults: Accessibility, Perceptions and Benefits

INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the difficulty of accessing important and necessary healthcare services, particularly among older adults. The use of telehealth, which involves the delivery of health services (diagnosis, prevention, treatment) through telephone and telehealth, has increased during the pandemic. Telehealth has been found to be a beneficial and viable alternative to in-person healthcare but accessing and using this alternative is not always accessible to older adults. Given the increased risks to older adults’ health and healthcare accessibility brought on by the pandemic, exploring the usage, accessibility, perceptions and benefits of this healthcare alternative in this vulnerable populations are essential. METHODS: Through a retrospective study, we aim to 1) understand the preferences and accessibility of telehealth among Canadian older adults, 2) address the possible benefits and challenges associated with telehealth access and use among Canadian older adults, and 3) compare the accessibility, preferences and usage of virtual healthcare in Canadian young adults vs older adults. We will analyze data from Canadians aged 55+ in the Canada Health Infoway database. This database contains data from 12 052 Canadians from all provinces and territories, collected from July to August 2021. The data is inclusive of all genders, sexual orientations, races, and ethnicities. RESULTS: Results will be available before March 2023. CONCLUSIONS: This study will be an important step towards understanding the preferences, accessibility, and possible benefits and challenges associated with telehealth in the Canadian older adult population, and in understanding the differences in virtual healthcare accessibility, preferences and usage in young adults vs older adults. Bringing these findings to light can play a key role in addressing barriers and suggesting potential solutions to improve telehealth access and use among Canadian older adults. THIS RESEARCH WAS FUNDED BY: There is no funding to declare for this study.