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Frequency of Use, Perceptions and Barriers of Information and Communication Technologies Among Latin American Physicians: An Ecuadorian Cross-Sectional Study.

ABSTRACT: Objective:In recent years, the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) has increased in various sectors, among which the healthcare service is no exception. However, studies have mostly focused on the use of ICTs among patients with chronic diseases, with few reports on the advantages and barriers of these technologies among physicians, particularly in Latin America. We designed this study to fill in the gap, as an objective assessment of the frequency of use, perceptions, and barriers of ICTs among physicians remains crucial for a successful implementation of these technologies into the mainstream medical practice. Methods:We conducted an anonymous cross-sectional survey-based study in 640 Ecuadorian physicians. The survey used consisted of 13 items and evaluated the frequency of use, perceptions, and barriers of ICTs among physicians. Chi-square tests for goodness of fit and independence were performed, whilst Phi coefficient was interpreted to assess the strength of associations. Fisher exact test was performed when required. Results:Over 90% of physicians reported the use of ICTs to message other colleagues and patients (p=0.000). While 89.5% of physicians used social media to interact with other colleagues, only 58.1% used them to interact with patients (p=0.000). Most participants reported the use of ICTs to search for academic information (p=0.000). Moreover, more than 80.0% agree that ICTs may be used to promote health and medical services, search new job opportunities, get involved in research projects and promote teamwork with colleagues. However, 83.6% of physicians expressed concerns about privacy and patient confidentiality, while 53.8% stated that they lacked the time to use ICTs. Conclusion:High usage of ICTs was found among Ecuadorian physicians. Younger physicians, with less postgraduate years, and non-specialists were more likely to have a positive perception toward ICTs. Privacy and patient confidentiality, followed by time management, were the most reported barriers in our study.

SUBMITTER: Cherrez-Ojeda I

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7082627 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Frequency of Use, Perceptions and Barriers of Information and Communication Technologies Among Latin American Physicians: An Ecuadorian Cross-Sectional Study.

Cherrez-Ojeda Ivan I Vanegas Emanuel E Felix Miguel M Mata Valeria L VL Jiménez Fanny M FM Sanchez Mabel M Simancas-Racines Daniel D Cherrez Sofia S Gavilanes Antonio W D AWD Eschrich Johannes J Chedraui Peter P

Journal of multidisciplinary healthcare 20200312

<h4>Objective</h4>In recent years, the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) has increased in various sectors, among which the healthcare service is no exception. However, studies have mostly focused on the use of ICTs among patients with chronic diseases, with few reports on the advantages and barriers of these technologies among physicians, particularly in Latin America. We designed this study to fill in the gap, as an objective assessment of the frequency of use, perception ...[more]

PMID: 32214821

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Project description:BackgroundThe instantaneous spread of information, low costs, and broad availability of information and communication technologies (ICTs) make them an attractive platform for managing care, patient communication, and medical interventions in cancer treatment. There is little information available in Latin America about the level of usage of ICTs for and by cancer patients. Our study attempts to fill this gap.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to assess the level of ICT use and patterns of preferences among cancer patients.MethodsWe conducted an anonymous cross-sectional survey study in 500 Ecuadorian cancer patients. This questionnaire consisted of 22 items about demographic and clinical data, together with the preferences of people who use ICTs. Chi-square, crude, and adjusted logistic regressions were performed.ResultsOf the total, 43.2% (216/500) of participants reported that they had access to the Internet, and 25.4% (127/500) reported that they neither owned a cell phone nor did they have access to the Internet. The Internet constituted the highest usage rate as a source of information about malignant diseases (74.3%, 162/218) regardless of age (P<.001). With regard to the preferences on how patients would like to use ICTs to receive information about diseases, WhatsApp (66.5%, 145/218) and short message service (SMS) text messaging (61.0%, 133/218) were widely reported as interesting communication channels. Similarly, WhatsApp (72.0%, 157/218) followed by SMS (63.8%, 139/218) were reported as the preferred ICTs through which patients would like to ask physicians about diseases. Adjusted regression analysis showed that patients aged between 40 and 64 years were more likely to be interested in receiving information through SMS (odds ratio, OR 5.09, 95% CI 1.92-13.32), as well as for asking questions to physicians through this same media (OR 9.78, CI 3.45-27.67) than the oldest group.ConclusionsWhatsApp, SMS, and email are effective and widely used ICTs that can promote communication between cancer patients and physicians. According to age range, new ICTs such as Facebook are still emerging. Future studies should investigate how to develop and promote ICT-based resources more effectively to engage the outcomes of cancer patients. The widespread use of ICTs narrows the gap between cancer patients with restricted socioeconomic conditions and those with wealth and easily available technological means, thereby opening up new possibilities in low-income countries.

Project description:BACKGROUND:The use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) provide the tools for enabling fast and reliable real-time communications, as well as the transfer of information between dental professionals and their patients. However, little is known about the frequency and preference of ICTs among Latin-American dentists. Our study aims to fill this gap by assessing different aspects related to ICTs, mainly the frequency of use, perceptions, and barriers among Ecuadorian dentists. METHODS:An anonymous, cross-sectional survey-based study was conducted among 342 Ecuadorian dentists. The final questionnaire included 13 items related to the frequency of use, perceptions, and barriers of ICTs. Bivariate analysis was performed by using chi-squared testing to explore the association between the independent variables and the intended use of ICTs, as well as to characterize the perceptions and barriers related to ICTs. RESULTS:In general, most participants reported the use of ICTs to communicate with colleagues (99.7%), and patients (96.2%), while only 63.5% reported using ICTs to obtain academic information in their daily practice. WhatsApp was rated as the most used ICT for communicating with colleagues and patients. A majority of participants considered that ICTs can be useful for facilitating continuing dental education (92.1%), searching new work opportunities (91.5%), promoting health (90.1%), working with colleagues and other health professionals (91.2%), promoting their professional services (90.6%), and for resolving clinical cases (87.7%). On the subject of barriers, privacy and security concerns about personal and/or patient information was the biggest concern among dentists (65%), followed by lack of time to learn how to use and/or use ICTs (48%), lack of mobile internet access (28.1%), and lack of internet access at work (24.9%). CONCLUSION:In our study, we found that Ecuadorian dentists had a high usage rate of ICTs, mainly for communicating with other colleagues and patients, while the academic use of technology remains a comparatively underused application. Most of the participants surveyed had a positive perception towards ICTs, while privacy and security concerns were identified as the main barrier. Older age was associated with a less favourable perception toward ICTs, as well as an increased likelihood of reporting barriers related to the use of technology.

Project description:BackgroundDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, multiple countries have taken measures, such as isolation and quarantine, to prevent person-to-person spread of disease. These actions forced many physicians to adopt new techniques, such as telemedicine, to continue patient care, which has proven to be useful in continued care for those with non-COVID-19 pathologies. Various factors, such as security, confidentiality, cost-effectiveness, comfort, and the risk of malpractice, influence the perception of telemedicine among medical practitioners. The aim of this study was to adapt an existing instrument and validate it into a new Spanish version. The instrument is about the perceptions and knowledge of telemedicine in healthcare professionals.MethodsThe original questionnaire surveyed 6 domains with 40 questions, and each question was measured with a five-point Likert scale ranging from very high [5] to very low [1]. The survey was translated to Spanish using machine translation. The translation was reviewed independently, and then, a consensus was achieved regarding minor changes in the syntax of the survey to facilitate understanding. After expert feedback and questionnaire review, the research team members proposed reducing the instrument to 13 items in 4 domains due to the similarity of some questions. The sample was divided into 2randomly selected groups. Eligibility criteria included physicians providing private or public services with active medical/clinical practice.ResultsIn total, 382 surveys were collected and separated into two random samples, S1 and S2 (198 and 184, respectively). In exploratory factor analysis (EFA), the 13 items were grouped into four theoretical domains, and item 7 presented cross loading between factors and was removed. Confirmatory factor analysis was performed to assess the scale reliability and interscale associations; three models were tested. Global Cronbach's alpha for internal consistency was 0.76 for the EFA. The goodness of fit measures root mean square error of approximation and comparative fit index were 0.009 and 0.999, respectively, for the best model.ConclusionsThe translated instrument was clear, with adequate internal consistency, readability, and appropriate for application in the physician setting. This validated questionnaire made it possible to evaluate physicians' knowledge of telemedicine to increase its use, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dataset Information

Frequency of Use, Perceptions and Barriers of Information and Communication Technologies Among Latin American Physicians: An Ecuadorian Cross-Sectional Study.

Publications

Frequency of Use, Perceptions and Barriers of Information and Communication Technologies Among Latin American Physicians: An Ecuadorian Cross-Sectional Study.

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