2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Sustaining Telehealth in Minority Communities: A Systematic Literature Review of Resilience Approaches Amid Disruptions

Telehealth has become a critical tool for ensuring healthcare continuity, especially during crises such as pandemics, natural disasters, or technological disruptions. Yet, sustaining telehealth access in minority and underserved communities remains a major challenge. Many communities face compounded barriers—limited broadband access and inequitable resource distribution—that reduce the resilience of telehealth systems. These challenges underscore the need for a systematic review of strategies that support sustainable and adaptable telehealth delivery.
This work-in-progress study aims to systematically review and synthesize existing frameworks, strategies, and challenges in sustaining telehealth resilience amid disruptions. Guided by resilience and digital equity frameworks, the study evaluates how social, technological, and policy factors interact to support long-term telehealth access. Using the PRISMA framework, peer-reviewed studies published between 2019 and 2024 are analyzed from Scopus, PubMed, and ProQuest. Inclusion criteria require studies to explicitly link broadband access to telehealth adoption or outcomes, with a defined exclusion window outside the five-year publication range.
The synthesis is expected to yield effective frameworks and strategies for making telehealth systems adaptable and sustainable in minority communities. The study provides evidence-based insights for policymakers and healthcare organizations to design inclusive, culturally responsive, and equitable telehealth systems capable of withstanding future disruptions.

Authors

Toluwani Comfort Oyedepo Morgan State University [biography]

Toluwani Oyedepo is a graduate scholar currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Sociology at Morgan State University, with an interdisciplinary background spanning law, community empowerment, and sustainable development. Her work focuses on research and evaluation and policy analysis, with particular attention to examining structural inequalities and advancing evidence-based solutions that promote social inclusion and equitable development. Toluwani holds a Bachelor’s degree from Adeleke University, Nigeria, as well as a Bachelor of Laws (B.L.) qualification from the Nigerian Law School. Her academic training bridges legal frameworks with sociological inquiry and community-centered research. Through this combined expertise, she brings a critical, policy-oriented perspective to initiatives aimed at addressing social disparities through research-driven and sustainable interventions.
Samuel Oluwasegun Fakolade Morgan State University [biography]

Fakolade is a researcher whose work focuses on digital health equity, telehealth systems, and the role of broadband connectivity in shaping healthcare access and outcomes in underserved communities. This author’s research applies equity-oriented frameworks, including the Digital Divide framework, to examine how infrastructure, digital capacity, and system design interact to influence telehealth adoption and effectiveness. Using systematic review methodologies aligned with PRISMA 2020 guidelines, their work synthesizes empirical evidence across public health, health informatics, and social science literature to inform equitable telehealth policy, broadband investment strategies, and inclusive digital health system design.
Julius Ogaga Etuke http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2710-2803 Morgan State University [biography]

Julius Ogaga Etuke is a seasoned civil engineer and Ph.D. Candidate in Civil Engineering at Morgan State University, where his research focuses on sustainable and resilient infrastructure engineering. With over 15 years of consulting and project leadership experience, primarily in Nigeria's infrastructure landscape, he brings a robust, practical perspective to academic inquiry. His doctoral research is at the cutting edge of transportation resilience, integrating virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR), climate adaptation modeling, and data-driven solutions to improve disaster preparedness and risk mitigation in complex transportation systems. As a COREN-registered engineer and member of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, his work emphasizes impactful research and consultancy that bridges structural design principles with urgent sustainability and resilience challenges.
Dr. Olushola V. Emiola-Owolabi http://orcid.org/https://0000-0002-8521-5769 Morgan State University [biography]

Olushola Emiola-Owolabi is an engineering pedagogy specialist, researching active learning in engineering classrooms and specializing in qualitative methods research on teaching and learning – particularly in remote synchronous learning environments.
Dr. Oludare Adegbola Owolabi P.E. Morgan State University [biography]

Dr. Oludare Owolabi, a professional engineer in Maryland, joined the Morgan State University faculty in 2010. He is the director of the Sustainable Infrastructure Development, Smart Innovation and Resilient Engineering Research Lab, Department of Civil Engineering at Morgan State University
Dr. Uttam Gaulee http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3010-2812

Note

The full paper will be available to logged in and registered conference attendees once the conference starts on June 21, 2026, and to all visitors after the conference ends on June 24, 2026