Telemedicine and Traditional Care in Impoverished Communities: Synergistic or Counteractive Effects of Basic Health Insurance and Rural Revitalization on Healthcare Equity.

This study investigates the individual and interactive associations of Basic Medical Insurance Policies and rural revitalization policies with regional telemedicine preference in resource‐constrained impoverished regions. Grounded in a benefit‐cost trade‐off theoretical framework, we employed text‐b...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Publicado en:Health & Social Care in the Community pp. 1 - 18
Autores principales: Yang, Qianqiu, Zhou, Guichuan, Liu, Anni, Chen, Qing-Wei
Formato: equations & formulas research tables/charts Journal Article
Publicado: Wiley-Blackwell 3/11/2026
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
Descripción
Sumario:This study investigates the individual and interactive associations of Basic Medical Insurance Policies and rural revitalization policies with regional telemedicine preference in resource‐constrained impoverished regions. Grounded in a benefit‐cost trade‐off theoretical framework, we employed text‐based frequency analysis and panel data from 163 impoverished counties in western China (2015–2022) to empirically examine these relationships. The results reveal that Basic Medical Insurance Policies are significantly associated with an enhanced regional preference for telemedicine by alleviating resident payment burdens and incentivizing resource supply, thereby fostering potential improvements in healthcare accessibility and equity. Conversely, rural revitalization policies, while increasing aggregate medical capital, exhibit a "supply substitution effect" that is linked to a diminished preference for telemedicine, particularly in regions with relatively abundant resources. Further analysis identifies a significant negative interaction between the two policies, suggesting that the supply‐side focus of rural revitalization may partially offset the telemedicine‐promoting incentives of health insurance due to resource competition or misalignment. This study elucidates the complex decision‐making mechanisms underlying healthcare service selection in impoverished regions and offers policy insights for balancing telemedicine and traditional healthcare models to bridge the health equity gap.