Awareness and attitude of primary healthcare patients towards telehealth in Cairo, Egypt
1. Department
of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
2. Department
of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
3. Department
of Geriatrics and Gerontology, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University,
Cairo, Egypt.
Abstract
Background: Telehealth is delivering health care services remote from
healthcare facilities using telecommunications and virtual technology. Egypt is
aiming to reach Universal Health Coverage; this increases the demand of
telehealth in routine health services. Telehealth helps in increasing access to
areas with no available medical services as patients can be monitored remotely.
Objective: To measure the awareness of
telehealth among attendees of primary health care units and their acceptance of
applying telehealth.
Methodology: This was a cross sectional study
among attendees of primary health units. Ethical issues were considered.
Results: A sample size calculated to be 162
and 170 valid Arabic interview questionnaires were filled by attendees.
Awareness percentage of telehealth among attendees was 64.7% while willingness
to implement telehealth was 78%. Both awareness and willingness were
significantly associated with age groups, residence, socioeconomic status, and
presence of computer with internet access. Age, residence, and possession of a
PC were the only adjusted predictive factors for knowledge about telehealth
among patients in the multivariable analysis.
Conclusion: Large percentages of attendees to
primary health care centers are aware of telehealth and are willing to
implement it. The major cause of refusal to implement telehealth was due to
ignorance of using telecommunication devices and the desire to be in close
contact with the physicians.
Keywords: Customers; Patients; Primary Healthcare;
Primary Healthcare Centers; Telehealth; Telemedicine.
Current Medical Research
and Opinion 2022 Apr 11;1-14.
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03007995.2022.2065141
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