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Meta-Analysis
. 2024 Nov 29;24(1):1505.
doi: 10.1186/s12913-024-11979-w.

Attitudes towards Telemedicine Services and Associated Factors among health professionals in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Alex Ayenew Chereka  1 , Gebrehiwot Berie Mekonnen  2 , Amlaku Nigusie Yirsaw  3 , Berihun Agegn Mengistie  4 , Eyob Getachew  3 , Gebeyehu Lakew  3 , Adamu Ambachew Shibabaw  5 , Gemeda Wakgari Kitil  6
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

Attitudes towards Telemedicine Services and Associated Factors among health professionals in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Alex Ayenew Chereka et al. BMC Health Serv Res. .

Abstract

Background: Telemedicine is a vital tool for improving healthcare delivery in Ethiopia, where geographic, economic, and infrastructural challenges limit access to care, particularly in rural areas. With a shortage of healthcare professionals and limited medical services, telemedicine offers a solution by enabling remote consultations and continuous monitoring, extending healthcare to underserved populations. However, the successful adoption of telemedicine depends largely on the attitudes of healthcare professionals, whose acceptance and use of the technology are crucial for its integration. This study reviews the factors influencing Ethiopian health professionals' attitudes toward telemedicine to provide insights that can support its adoption and improve healthcare delivery in the country.

Methods: Following the PRISMA guidelines, we conducted a systematic review of studies on telemedicine attitudes, initially identifying 15,900 articles. After screening, 5 full-text articles were selected for inclusion. The data were analyzed using STATA version 11, where heterogeneity was assessed using the I² test, and publication bias was evaluated through funnel plots and Egger's regression. The pooled effect size was calculated using a random-effects model, with a 95% confidence interval to ensure the robustness and precision of the findings.

Results: The finding that 53.42% (95% CI: 42.02-64.83) of Ethiopian health professionals hold positive attitudes towards telemedicine suggests a moderate level of acceptance. Factors associated with these positive attitudes included receiving computer training in telemedicine (AOR 4.47, 95% CI: 1.94-10.26), possessing advanced digital literacy (AOR 4.08, 95% CI: 1.30-12.81), comprehensive knowledge of telemedicine technology (AOR 3.28, 95% CI: 1.73-6.23), access to reliable internet (AOR 3.04, 95% CI: 1.67-5.53), and availability of electronic devices in healthcare settings (AOR 2.59, 95% CI: 1.73-3.87).

Conclusion and recommendations: This meta-analysis reveals that 53.42% of Ethiopian health professionals hold positive attitudes towards telemedicine, influenced by specialized training, digital literacy, and resource access. To enhance adoption, initiatives should focus on targeted training, reliable internet connectivity, availability of devices in healthcare settings, and promoting broader awareness about telemedicine benefits and applications among healthcare professionals.

Keywords: Attitude; Ethiopia; Health professionals; Services; Telemedicine.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: Not applicable. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
The PRISMA flowcharts illustrate the process of selecting articles for inclusion in this study
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
A forest plot of the pooled prevalence of Health Professionals’ attitude towards telemedicine technology in Ethiopia
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
A funnel plot of the included studies, assessing publication bias
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Subgroup meta-analysis of factors related to heterogeneity in health professionals’ awareness of telemedicine in Ethiopia
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Forest plot of factors associated with health professionals’ awareness of telemedicine in Ethiopia
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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