Acceptance of Telemedicine in healthcare customers of District Karachi, Pakistan: a cross-sectional analysis
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.71395/ijhp.2.2.2025.1Abstract
Background and Objectives: The global healthcare industry faced significant revenue and volume losses follow- ing the emergence of COVID-19 in December 2019. Telemedicine emerged as a potential solution to mitigate these challenges. The primary objectives were to determine the influence of internet browsing and immunosup- pression on telemedicine acceptance and to evaluate the mediating role of fear of acquiring hospital-induced infections (HAI) in this relationship.
METHODOLOGY: A quantitative, cross-sectional study was conducted from April to September 2021. Data
were collected using a validated online questionnaire distributed to patients, physicians, and health insurance providers in Karachi. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 24, employing correlation, regression, and mediation analysis. A p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
RESULTS: The study found that internet browsing significantly influenced telemedicine acceptance (p < 0.01), while immunosuppression did not (p = 0.39). The mediating role of fear of HAI was partially supported. The model's explanatory power was weak, with an R value of 0.29, indicating limited predictive capability.
CONCLUSION: The findings suggest limited acceptance of telemedicine among Karachi's population, high- lighting the need for targeted awareness campaigns and policy adjustments. While internet browsing positively influenced telemedicine acceptance, immunosuppression did not. The study underscores the importance of addressing technological and health-related barriers to improve telemedicine adoption.
KEYWORDS: COVID-19, telemedicine, immunosuppression, internet browsing, healthcare acceptance.
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