Hussain Kholod Hussain Haj, Al Shmanee Marwah Zakariya, Taha Fatima Husni, Samara Kamel Aladdein, Barqawi Hiba Jawdat, Dash Nihar Ranjan
College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
American Hospital Dubai, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Telemed J E Health. 2024 Dec;30(12):2805-2814. doi: 10.1089/tmj.2024.0207. Epub 2024 Jul 29.
Telemedicine has become a global tool for enhancing health care accessibility. However, its widespread adoption is still limited by technological illiteracy, lack of appropriate devices, slow internet services, and privacy concerns. In the Middle East and North Africa, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE), there is a dearth of telemedicine research. This study aimed to understand the perceptions and satisfaction levels of the UAE population regarding telemedicine. Between June and September 2023, a cross-sectional study was undertaken, using an online questionnaire distributed among UAE citizens and residents aged 18 years and above. The survey aimed to gauge the perceptions, usability, and satisfaction levels of telemedicine users, alongside identifying barriers hindering its acceptance. Data analysis was performed using Python 3, using Matplotlib v3.3.4 and Pandas v1.2. The data analysis encompassed 1,013 participants, among whom 66.9% (678/1,013) were familiar with telemedicine. From this group, 29.8% (202/678) had previously utilized it. Of these users, 92.3% (186/202) found it to be useful or highly useful, whereas 83.1% (168/202) expressed overall satisfaction with their telemedicine experience. Among those who had not used telemedicine (47%, 476/1,013), the predominant concerns were a preference for in-person health care consultations for better care (77%, 367/476) and uncertainty about the quality of care offered through telemedicine (62%, 296/476). Despite high awareness of telemedicine in the UAE, its actual usage remains limited, highlighting the necessity for increased promotional efforts. Nevertheless, positive feedback suggests considerable potential for broad adoption. Future studies should address participants' concerns to enhance telemedicine utilization in the region.
远程医疗已成为增强医疗服务可及性的一项全球工具。然而，其广泛应用仍受到技术文盲、缺乏合适设备、互联网服务缓慢以及隐私担忧等因素的限制。在中东和北非地区，包括阿拉伯联合酋长国（阿联酋），远程医疗研究匮乏。本研究旨在了解阿联酋民众对远程医疗的看法和满意度。2023年6月至9月期间，开展了一项横断面研究，使用在线问卷在18岁及以上的阿联酋公民和居民中进行分发。该调查旨在评估远程医疗用户的看法、可用性和满意度，同时找出阻碍其接受的障碍。使用Python 3进行数据分析，采用Matplotlib v3.3.4和Pandas v1.2。数据分析涵盖1013名参与者，其中66.9%（678/1013）熟悉远程医疗。在这一群体中，29.8%（202/678）曾使用过远程医疗。在这些用户中，92.3%（186/202）认为其有用或非常有用，而83.1%（168/202）对他们的远程医疗体验总体表示满意。在未使用过远程医疗的人群中（47%，476/1013），主要担忧是更倾向于面对面的医疗咨询以获得更好的护理（77%，367/476）以及对通过远程医疗提供的护理质量存在不确定性（62%，296/476）。尽管阿联酋民众对远程医疗的认知度较高，但其实际使用率仍然有限，这凸显了加大推广力度的必要性。然而，积极的反馈表明其广泛应用具有相当大的潜力。未来的研究应解决参与者的担忧，以提高该地区远程医疗的利用率。
