Determinants of telemedicine service use during the COVID-19 pandemic: Evidence from the German SHARE sample.
ABSTRACT
Background:
The occurrence of the COVID-19 pandemic demanded fast changes in the delivery of healthcare. As a result, a significant growth in the use of telemedicine services occurred. Research, especially from nationally representative German samples, is needed to better understand determinants of telemedicine utilization.
Objective:
The purpose of this study was to identify determinants of telemedicine service use among middle-aged and older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany.
Methods:
Cross-sectional, nationally representative data were taken from the German sample of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). The German Corona Survey 2 (n=2039), which was conducted between June and August 2021, was used for this study. Reporting experience with remote medical consultations during the COVID-19 pandemic served as outcome measure. Associations with socioeconomic, psychological, social, health- and COVID-related determinants were examined using multiple Firth logistic regressions.
Results:
Psychological factors including feeling nervous, anxious, or on edge (OR 1.61, 95% CI 1.04-2.50, P = .03), feeling sad or depressed (OR 1.62, 95% CI 1.05-2.51, P = .03) and feelings of loneliness (OR 1.66, 95% CI 1.07-2.58, P = .02) were positively associated with telemedicine use. Moreover, forgoing medical treatment because of being afraid to become infected by the coronavirus (OR 1.81, 95% CI 1.10-2.97, P = .02) and describing limitations because of a health problem as severe were positively associated with the outcome (OR 2.11, 95% CI 1.12-4.00, P = .02). Socioeconomic and social factors were not significantly associated with telemedicine use in our sample.
Conclusions:
Middle- and older-aged individuals in Germany seemed to be using telemedicine services according to psychological needs and health limitations. Especially when psychological symptoms were experienced, telemedicine seemed to be a promising service option in this age group. Future research is needed to confirm these initial findings in post-pandemic circumstances.
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