Knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of Jordanians towards the adopting and utilization of telemedicine: A national cross-sectional study

JMIR Hum Factors. 2022 Oct 6. doi: 10.2196/41499. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Due to the upsurge of COVID-19, nations are increasingly adopting telemedicine programs in anticipation of similar crises. Similar to all nations worldwide, Jordan is implementing efforts to adopt such technologies, yet it is far from complete.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to assess the knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of Jordanians towards telemedicine, to identify key factors predisposing to its use or hurdling its implementation.

METHODS: We implemented a cross-sectional design using an online, self-administered questionnaire formulated on Google Forms and distributed through social media. Differences in knowledge and attitudes scores were examined by the independent sample t-test and ANOVA. A multivariate linear regression model was computed to assess predictors of awareness towards telemedicine.

RESULTS: A total of 1201 participants fully completed the questionnaire. Participants were characterized by a mean age of 36.3 ± 14.4 years and a male to female ratio of nearly 1:1. About 50% of our studied population being aware of telemedicine, while nearly 25% declared having observed it in action. Approximatively 68% of respondents were willing to use telemedicine. The majority of the sample portrayed favorable and positive views towards telemedicine. Higher educational degrees, living in urban districts, or have a higher perception of electronics usage ability are associated with higher knowledge and better attitudes towards telemedicine (all P <0.05). Multivariate linear regression demonstrates that perceived ability to use electronics is associated with positive attitudes (ß: 0.394; 95%CI: 0.224 - 0.563), while living in Southern Jordan predicts poor attitudes towards telemedicine (ß: -2.896; 95%CI: -4.873 - -0.919).

CONCLUSIONS: Jordanians portray favorable perceptions of telemedicine. Nonetheless, concerns with regards to privacy, medical errors, and capacity for accurate diagnoses are prevalent. Furthermore, Jordanians believe that integrating telemedicine within the healthcare system is not applicable due to limited resources.

PMID:36257609 | DOI:10.2196/41499