The Geography of Disconnection: Rural and Urban Gaps in Post‐Pandemic Telehealth Use
Published online on May 09, 2026
Abstract
["Health Services Research, Volume 61, Issue 3, June 2026. ", "\nABSTRACT\n\nObjective\nTo examine rural–urban disparities in telehealth utilization during the post‐pandemic period and assess whether these disparities persist after adjusting for individual‐level characteristics.\n\n\nStudy Setting and Design\nWe used multivariable logistic regression and propensity score matching to estimate differences in telehealth use by rurality and examined self‐reported reasons for non‐use.\n\n\nData Sources and Analytic Sample\nWe analyzed 2022 and 2024 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) data, a nationally representative survey of noninstitutionalized US adults. The analytic sample included 11,106 respondents after excluding missing observations.\n\n\nPrincipal Findings\nOverall, 38.7% of adults reported telehealth use in the past 12 months. After adjusting for covariates, rural residents were significantly less likely to use telehealth than urban core residents; remote rural residence was associated with a 10–percentage point lower probability (95% CI, −16.2 to −2.8; p < 0.01). Propensity score analyses yielded similar results (−7.7% points; 95% CI, −16.2 to −2.8; p < 0.01). Among non‐users, rural respondents were more likely to report not being offered telehealth.\n\n\nConclusions\nWe observed significant rural–urban disparities in telehealth use in the post‐pandemic period. Rural non‐users were more likely to report not being offered telehealth, indicating delivery‐side barriers.\n\n"]