Advancing health equity amongst displaced persons through telehealth services: a retrospective cross-sectional study

Purpose This study aims to delve into the role that telehealth plays in mitigating health inequities faced by forcibly displaced Ukrainians amidst the ongoing conflict. Design/methodology/approach A retrospective cross-sectional study design was implemented, using data procured from the electronic health records of the Likarnya online project. The research approach integrated descriptive statistics, visual data representations and inferential analyses, including chi-square tests, odds ratio calculations and logistic regression tests. Findings The analysis revealed a predominance of female users (77.1%) and a high prevalence of health-care access barriers (69.7%). General practice/internal medicine consultations constituted the majority of referrals (72.93%), with a notable 78.66% of cases achieving closure. A significant prevalence rate was observed concerning chronic conditions relative to acute presentations. Statistical analyses uncovered significant associations between case severity and health-care access barriers, with moderate and severe cases demonstrating elevated odds of encountering obstacles to care. Age emerged as a crucial predictor of health-care access difficulties, highlighting the particular vulnerabilities faced by older displaced individuals. Originality/value This study highlights the potential of telemedicine in reducing health-care access disparities of displaced populations in conflict zones. Furthermore, this study brings to light pivotal insights concerning demographic and clinical variables that influence patterns associated with health-care services attainability. These findings serve as a clarion call for targeted interventions explicitly tailored for older individuals and those with severe health conditions. Hence, the findings provide a foundation upon which forthcoming academic endeavours alongside strategic policy formulation may be constructed.