The Attitude of Egyptian Patients with Autoimmune and Rheumatic Diseases towards Telemedicine

Background and Objectives: The use of telemedicine (TM) has recently undergone rapid growth and proliferation. Professional stakeholders anticipate that TM will aid in the efficient allocation of limited resources in rheumatology care. The aim of the study was to evaluate the acceptance and willingn...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) Lithuania), 2023-09, Vol.59 (9), p.1595
Main Authors: Tharwat, Samar, Gamal, Doaa
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Arthritis
autoimmune diseases
Blood
Coronaviruses
COVID-19
Data analysis
Disease transmission
Health aspects
Health care
Heart diseases
Hospitals
Marital status
Medical examination
Medical research
Medicine, Experimental
Pandemics
Patients
Pilot projects
Questionnaires
Rheumatic diseases
Rheumatology
Sample size
Socioeconomic factors
Surveys
Telemedicine
Variables
Citations: Items that this one cites
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Summary:Background and Objectives: The use of telemedicine (TM) has recently undergone rapid growth and proliferation. Professional stakeholders anticipate that TM will aid in the efficient allocation of limited resources in rheumatology care. The aim of the study was to evaluate the acceptance and willingness of Egyptian patients with autoimmune and rheumatic diseases (ARDs) to incorporate TM into rheumatological care and to assess their requirements and concerns regarding TM. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was conducted among Egyptian patients with ARDs. The questionnaire covered sociodemographic characteristics, clinical and therapeutic data, attitudes, barriers, and motivators towards TM. Results: The study included 189 patients with ARDs, with a mean age of 37 years (SD = 11.71), and 88.4% were females. Participants were divided into two groups based on their acceptance of TM: the non-acceptant group (133, 70.4%) and the acceptant group (56, 29.6%). There was a significant difference in educational level (p = 0.001), chronic kidney and heart disease (p = 0.008 and 0.014, respectively) and hydroxychloroquine administration (p = 0.037) between the two groups. During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, 96 (50.8%) of participants used virtual rheumatology consultations, mainly using WhatsApp (64.6%). Approximately 87% would require assistance in operating TM technology. The preference for direct conversation with the rheumatologist and the need for physical examination were the main barriers to teleconsultation. Conclusions: TM is opposed by the vast majority of Egyptian patients with ARDs. They are concerned since it does not include a physical examination and prevents them from undergoing additional procedures such as ultrasound and blood testing. The majority of Egyptian patients with ARDs need help using TM technology, which is the most significant barrier to the spread of TM.
ISSN:1648-9144
1010-660X
1648-9144
DOI:10.3390/medicina59091595