# The Role of Virtual Care on Access to Mental Health Counseling or Therapy to Reduce Health Inequities in the United States: Considerations on Age, Race, and Education

## TL;DR

Virtual mental health care increases access, especially for younger people, Hispanics, and those with lower education.

## Contribution

This study identifies demographic groups that benefit most from virtual mental health care in reducing inequities.

## Key findings

- Virtual care significantly increases mental health counseling or therapy use among individuals with depression.
- Hispanic females, young adults, and those with lower education show the highest increase in therapy use via virtual care.
- Virtual care may help reduce mental health access disparities for historically underserved groups.

## Abstract

To examine an association between virtual care and mental health care use and whether there is any different pattern in the association across key demographic characteristics, specifically age, race/ethnicity, and educational attainment.

A cross-sectional, observation study was conducted among the general population in the United States. This population-based study used data from the 2022 National Health Interview Survey. Main effect and interaction models using binary logistic regression were performed.

Of a total of 708 males and 1,238 females with symptoms of major depressive disorder (MDD), virtual care was associated with an increase in mental counseling or therapy use (males: adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 2.75, 95% CI: 1.82–4.16, p ≤ 0.001; females: aOR: 3.38, 95% CI: 2.42–4.73, p ≤ 0.001). Females from a Hispanic background (aOR: 7.17, 95% CI: 2.97–17.33, p ≤ 0.001), aged 18–29 (aOR: 7.18, 95% CI: 3.51–14.70, p ≤ 0.001), and with less than high school graduation (aOR: 5.55, 95% CI: 1.97–15.62, p = 0.001) or college degrees (aOR: 5.52, 95% CI: 2.91–10.47, p ≤ 0.001) had notable increases in mental counseling or therapy use with virtual care.

Virtual care is associated with a significant increase in accessing mental health care. Individuals who historically experience challenges related to in-person settings, including those with low educational attainment and Hispanics, may significantly benefit from virtual options.