JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Telehealth can optimize access to specialty care for patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Virtual AF care, however, may not fit with AF patients' complex needs.

Objective:

To explore the relationship between attitudes toward healthcare technologies, self-efficacy and telehealth satisfaction as part of future planning of virtual AF clinic care.

Methods:

AF patients over age 18 years from an urban-based, highly specialized AF clinic who had an upcoming telehealth visit were invited to participate in an online survey. The survey asked about demographic characteristics; use of technology; self-efficacy and healthcare technology attitudes, using a validated 30-item tool; and telehealth satisfaction (TSQ), using a validated 14-item questionnaire. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, correlational analyses, and linear regression modeling.

Results:

Participants (n=195, 34% response rate) were primarily older, male and Caucasian with post-secondary schooling or more, and had high self-reported overall and mental-health ratings. A variety of technologies were used in their daily lives and for healthcare, including desktop and laptop computers, smartphones, and tablets. Self-efficacy and TSQ scores were high overall, with males having higher general, computer and healthcare technology self-efficacy (HTSE) and technology attitude scores. After controlling for age and sex, only HTSE was significantly related to individuals' attitudes toward healthcare technology. Both general self-efficacy and attitude toward healthcare technology were positively related to telehealth satisfaction.

Conclusions:

Consistent with a previous study, only HTSE significantly influenced attitudes toward healthcare technology. This finding confirms that, in this regard, self-efficacy is not a general perception but is domain-specific. Considering participants' predominant use of the telephone for virtual care, it follows that general self-efficacy and attitude toward healthcare technology were significant contributors to telehealth satisfaction. Given our patient's frequent use of technology and high computer self-efficacy and HTSE scores, use of video for telehealth appointments could be supported.