Telehealth Remains Popular Among Adults Over 50

An AARP study found that interest in telehealth use among older adults in 2022 was similar to 2020 rates, with women, Black people, and those between 50 and 64 more likely to use virtual care services.

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, AARP found that 21 percent of adults 50 and older used telehealth in March 2020. The new survey, which collected data between Feb. 24 and March 4, found that 51 percent of adults claimed that they or someone in their family used telehealth within two years prior.

For the 2022 survey, AARP polled 1,149 US adults aged 50 and over. 

The survey showed that 32 percent of adults indicated they were highly interested in using telehealth for themselves or a loved one, relatively similar to 2020, when 30 percent of older adults expressed interest in virtual care.

AARP also found that 17 percent of women reported a high interest in telehealth services compared to only 10 percent of men. Black patients also expressed more interest in telehealth than White and non-Hispanic people, at 33 percent compared to 11 and 14 percent, respectively.

Further, 56 percent of those between 50 and 64 years old used telehealth, higher than the 46 percent of people 65 and older who used the care modality.

These statistics, combined with 60 percent of users saying they faced no barriers and one-third of patients reporting they will use telehealth in the future, indicate a steady telehealth use rate among this population since 2020.

From the survey data, researchers surmised that telehealth would continue to be used by those who prefer the care modality and have high access levels. They also expect telehealth to remain relatively universal, making virtual care optimization necessary.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, various surveys have indicated mixed results regarding telehealth use among elderly populations.

In May 2020, the Better Medicare Alliance conducted a survey that included 1,000 seniors on Medicare Advantage plans. Of the respondents, only 24 percent indicated they had used telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic up until that point. About 52 percent said they would be comfortable using telehealth for care, while 30 percent claimed they would not be comfortable, and 18 percent were undecided.

Meanwhile, a federal report from February, which includes survey responses from over 600,000 adults, showed that Black patients, those older than 65, and those with government-sponsored insurance were those most likely to use telehealth. These patient groups were also more likely to use audio-only services.