Ziauddin University, Karachi, Pakistan.
Faculty of International Medicine, University of Health Sciences, Istanbul, Turkey.
BMC Med Educ. 2024 Oct 7;24(1):1093. doi: 10.1186/s12909-024-06086-7.
This study aimed to investigate medical students' perceptions of telehealth in Pakistan and assess the relationship between students' proficiency in computers and technology, gender, and age.
A cross-sectional study was conducted on 330 medical students from various universities in Karachi, Pakistan. Data on demographic characteristics, computer proficiency, and perceptions of telehealth were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and Spearman's rank correlation coefficient were utilized for data analysis.
The study included 330 participants, predominantly from public universities (83.3%), with a mean age of 21.40 ± 4.24 years. Most participants were pursuing MBBS (67%). In terms of computer proficiency, 41.8% fell into the middle category. Gender correlated significantly with proficiency (p < 0.05), with females more often in the middle category and males in the not-that-amateur category. Age demonstrated a small positive correlation with proficiency (p < 0.05). A majority (77.6%) expressed a general interest in technology. Regarding healthcare apps, 51.8% had 1-3 apps, and 33.6% had none. Most participants believed telehealth would enhance healthcare (72.1%) and make it cheaper (63.3%). Additionally, 56.7% agreed that Pakistan should invest in telehealth, while only 2.7% disagreed.
The study revealed that medical students in Pakistan exhibit an interest in technology and perceive telehealth as beneficial. These findings suggest that telehealth holds the potential to enhance healthcare opportunities in Pakistan. Therefore, investing in and expanding telehealth services may represent a viable solution for improving access to healthcare in the country.
本研究旨在调查巴基斯坦医学生对远程医疗的看法，并评估学生在计算机和技术方面的熟练程度、性别和年龄与远程医疗看法之间的关系。
本研究采用横断面研究方法，对来自巴基斯坦卡拉奇的 330 名医学生进行了研究。使用自我管理问卷收集了人口统计学特征、计算机熟练程度和远程医疗看法的数据。采用描述性统计、卡方检验和斯皮尔曼等级相关系数进行数据分析。
本研究共纳入 330 名参与者，他们主要来自公立大学（83.3%），平均年龄为 21.40±4.24 岁。大多数参与者正在攻读 MBBS（67%）。在计算机熟练程度方面，41.8%的人处于中等水平。性别与熟练程度显著相关（p<0.05），女性更多地处于中等水平，而男性更多地处于非初级水平。年龄与熟练程度呈正相关（p<0.05）。大多数参与者（77.6%）对技术普遍感兴趣。关于医疗保健应用程序，51.8%的人有 1-3 个应用程序，而 33.6%的人没有应用程序。大多数参与者认为远程医疗将改善医疗保健（72.1%）并使其更便宜（63.3%）。此外，56.7%的人同意巴基斯坦应该投资远程医疗，而只有 2.7%的人不同意。
本研究表明，巴基斯坦医学生对技术感兴趣，并认为远程医疗有益。这些发现表明，远程医疗有可能增强巴基斯坦的医疗保健机会。因此，投资和扩大远程医疗服务可能是改善该国医疗保健获取的可行解决方案。
