Factors associated with the non-use of telehealth consultancy by physicians of the Family Health Strategy/Fatores associados a nao utilizacao da teleconsultoria por medicos da Estrategia Saude da Familia

• Published in: Ciência & saude coletiva 2019-08, Vol.24 (8), p.3089
• Main Authors: Damasceno, Renata Fiuza, Caldeira, Antonio Prates
• Format: Article
• Language: Portuguese
• ISSN: 1413-8123
• DOI: 10.1590/1413-81232018248.28752017

This study sought to evaluate the frequency and factors associated with non-use of telehealth consultancy by physicians who work in the Family Health Strategy (FHS) in the North of the State of Minas Gerais. It is a cross-sectional study that used a previously-tested self-administered questionnaire. Poisson regression analysis with robust variance was used after bivariate analysis to identify the factors associated with non-use of telehealth consultancy. A total of 385 physicians from 73 municipalities participated in the study. The frequency of non-use of telehealth consultancy by physicians in the FHS was 55.8%. After multiple analysis, the following variables were identified: the lack of availability of computers and Internet access in the Basic Health Units (BHU) for medical professionals (p = 0.001; PR = 1.10; 95% CI: 1.04-1.17), the lack of information about telehealth consultancy (p< 0.001; PR = 1.47; 95% CI: 1.38-1.56) and lack of training in telehealth consultancy (p < 0.001; PR = 1.15; 95% CI: 1.08-1.24). The results support that the informatics infrastructure of the BHU, the dissemination of the service and the training should orient the strategies for implementation, diffusion and improvement of the quality of telehealth consultancy services in primary health care. Key words Telemedicine, Primary health care, Informatics in public health Este estudo objetivou avaliar a frequencia e os fatores associados a nao utilizacao do servico de teleconsultoria por medicos que atuam na Estrategia Saude da Familia (ESF) no Norte de Minas Gerais. Trata-se de um estudo transversal que utilizou questionario autoaplicado, previamente testado. A analise de regressao de Poisson com variancia robusta foi empregada apos analises bivariadas para identificacao dos fatores associados a nao utilizacao do servico de teleconsultoria. Participaram do estudo 385 medicos de 73 municipios. A frequencia de nao utilizacao do servico de teleconsultoria pelos medicos da ESF foi de 55,8%. Foram identificadas como variaveis associadas apos analise multipla a indisponibilidade de computador com internet na Unidade Basica de Saude (UBS) para uso do profissional medico (p = 0,001; RP = 1,10; IC95%: 1,04-1,17), a falta de informacao sobre o servico (p < 0,001; RP = 1,47; IC95%: 1,38-1,56) e a falta de treinamento para uso da teleconsultoria (p < 0,001; RP = 1,15; IC95%: 1,08-1,24). Os resultados reforcam que a infraestrutura de informatica das UBS, a divulgacao do servico e a oferta d