Telehealth Service Utilization among Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study in Bangladesh

Abstract

Telehealth is an essential aspect of making it easier for individuals to access healthcare, especially now that healthcare technology has advanced. As a result, both developed and developing countries are increasing the utilization of telehealth services. Our study investigated the relationship of knowledge, perceived benefit, perceived concern, and predisposition with telehealth service utilization in Bangladesh. This cross-sectional study was conducted from May 22, 2021, to June 15, 2021. A total of 1252 respondents were recruited by following a convenient sampling technique. The outcome variable of this study was telehealth service utilization. The explanatory variables included telehealth-related knowledge, perceived benefit, perceived concern, and predisposition, as well as demographic information and perceived health status. The binary logistic regression models were used to investigate the association between the explanatory and outcome variables. The participants utilized the telehealth service in the past six months was 16.61%. Increased knowledge and perceived benefit scores were associated with higher utilization of telehealth services, while higher self-reported concern was associated with a lower likelihood of utilization of telehealth services. The lower education and rural residency were associated with a lower likelihood of telehealth service utilization.