Studies on Barriers to Utilization of Telemedicine by Healthcare Practitioners in Imo State

This study sought to investigate the obstacles to the use of telemedicine by healthcare practitioners in Imo State, Nigeria. A descriptive cross-sectional survey approach was utilised, focussing on healthcare practitioners within designated Local Government Areas (LGAs). Data were gathered by a self-created questionnaire administered to around 358 people, as calculated by Cochran’s formula. We used descriptive and inferential statistical methods to look at the data, such as frequencies, percentages, and chi-square tests to see whether there were any links between demographic characteristics and telemedicine use. The results showed that telemedicine wasn't used much generally. In fact, 78.1% of public hospitals said they didn't use it at all. Medical laboratories had the most daily utilisation, at 41.3%. Telemedicine adoption was greatly delayed by factors such as poor internet access (with public hospitals having the least stable connections), unreliable power supply, and lack of cash. High operational expenses and lack of funds for facilities were also major impediments. The largest group of professionals was nurses, who made up 46.9% of the total. Most of the people who answered the survey were between the ages of 20 and 39. The study found that socio-economic factors (χ² significant, p = 0.000) and infrastructural barriers (χ² significant, p = 0.000) have a big impact on how many people in Imo State use telemedicine. This means that targeted interventions, such as better infrastructure and financial support, are needed to get more healthcare professionals to use telemedicine.