Telehealth access and safety for older adults with cancer

Full Project 2: The Intersection of Telehealth and Health Disparities in At-Risk Older Patients with Cancer

NIH-funded research University of California, San Diego · NIH-11181273

This project looks at how video and phone visits affect access to care, safety, and quality for older adults with cancer, especially those who face language, income, or racial barriers.

Quick facts

Grant typeNIH-funded research
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of California, San Diego NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (La Jolla, United States)
Project IDNIH-11181273 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

You would be part of work that compares telehealth (video and phone) visits with in-person cancer care to see who is able to connect and whether outcomes or adverse events differ. The team will use large clinical datasets from UC San Diego along with patient surveys and interviews to learn about real experiences and provider attitudes. They will focus on older patients who are non-White, low-income, or have limited English proficiency to identify barriers and potential biases. Findings will be used to recommend fairer telehealth practices and policies for vulnerable patients.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates are older adults with a cancer diagnosis receiving care through the UC San Diego health system, especially patients who are non-White, low-income, or have limited English proficiency.

Not a fit: People without cancer, much younger patients, or those who do not use telehealth or live outside the study's recruitment area are unlikely to be included or directly benefit.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could make telehealth more accessible and safer for older cancer patients and help reduce disparities in timely, high-quality care.

How similar studies have performed: Prior research shows telehealth can expand access but also reveals persistent racial, income, and language gaps and mixed results on whether remote visits match in-person care for safety and quality.

Where this research is happening

La Jolla, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.