Telehealth access and care gaps for older adults with cancer
Project 2: The Intersection of Telehealth and Health Disparities in At-Risk Older Patients with Cancer
This project looks at how telehealth affects access and quality of cancer care for older, at-risk patients and aims to make telehealth fairer and safer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | San Diego State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Diego, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11180094 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You will see researchers examine who uses telehealth for cancer care and whether groups like non‑White, low‑income, or non‑English speaking older adults are being left behind. They will analyze large healthcare records and visit data to compare safety and quality outcomes from telehealth versus in‑person visits. The team will also gather patient and clinician views through surveys and interviews to identify barriers and potential provider biases. Findings will be used to design practical ways to improve telehealth access and reduce disparities for older people with cancer.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are older adults with cancer, especially those who are non‑White, have low income, or have limited English proficiency and face barriers to in‑person care.
Not a fit: People without cancer, younger patients, or those already well connected to in‑person care may not directly benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could make telehealth easier to use and safer for older cancer patients, helping reduce gaps in care.
How similar studies have performed: Previous COVID-era studies showed telehealth can improve access but also revealed persistent disparities, and large-scale, focused work in older cancer patients remains relatively new.
Where this research is happening
San Diego, United States
- San Diego State University — San Diego, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Parada, Humberto — San Diego State University
- Study coordinator: Parada, Humberto
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.