Evaluation of Telemedicine Efficacy in Diabetes Management: A Look Back at a Retrospective Study in an Urban Medically Underserved Population Area (UMUPA)
Keywords:
Telemedicine, Diabetes Management, Retrospective Study, Medically Underserved PopulationAbstract
This study assesses the effectiveness of telemedicine (TM) technology in comparison to traditional face-to-face (F2F) visits as an alternative healthcare delivery method for addressing diabetes within populations residing in urban medically underserved areas (UMUPAs). Electronic patient health records (ePHR) of individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) were retrospectively examined from January 1, 2019, to June 30, 2021. Multiple linear regression models revealed that T2DM patients with uncontrolled diabetes using TM exhibited similar outcomes to those with traditional visits in reducing hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels.The type of healthcare service significantly influenced HbA1c % values, as evidenced by the regression coefficient for TM (vs. F2F) indicating a significant negative association (B = −0.339, p < 0.001). This suggests that patients utilizing TM were likely to have, on average, 0.34 lower HbA1c % values compared to those opting for F2F visits. Additionally, the regression coefficient for female (vs. male) gender demonstrated a positive association (B = 0.190, p < 0.034), revealing that female patients had HbA1c % levels 0.19 higher than their male counterparts. Age (B = −0.026, p < 0.001) emerged as a significant predictor of HbA1c % levels, with a decrease of 0.026 HbA1c % for each year increase in age.In terms of demographic factors, Black adults (B = 0.888, p < 0.001) were statistically more likely to exhibit 0.888 higher HbA1c % levels on average compared to White adults.
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