Access and Disparities in the Use of Telemedicine Among Patients with Chronic Conditions in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

ABSTRACT

Purpose: This study investigated the access to and disparities in telemedicine use among patients with chronic conditions in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Patients and Methods: A cross-sectional study of randomly selected primary healthcare centers was conducted to ensure that each of the 17 municipalities in Riyadh were represented. Three hundred and forty-two participants who completed the questionnaire were interviewed using a standardized questionnaire. The relationship between demographic and socioeconomic factors and telemedicine utilization was evaluated using the chi-square test and multivariable mixed-effects logistic regression model. Results: Among the 342 participants, the study revealed that 25.73% of the patients utilized telemedicine. Older participants had lower odds of telemedicine use than did those aged ≤ 30 years [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 0.112, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.045-0.279 for 50-59 years; AOR = 0.19, 95% CI = 0.076-0.474 for 60-69 years; AOR = 0.223, 95% CI = 0.092-0.542 for ≥ 70 years]. Female sex (AOR = 2.519, 95% CI = 1.44-4.408), having a higher education level (AOR = 3.434, 95% CI = 1.037-7.041 for secondary education and AOR = 5.87, 95% CI = 2.761-8.235 for higher education), and living in urban areas (AOR = 2.721, 95% CI = 1.184-6.256) were associated with higher odds of telemedicine use. Among socioeconomic factors, employed participants had higher odds of telemedicine use (AOR = 4.336, 95% CI = 2.3-8.174). Furthermore, compared to those with the highest socioeconomic status (SES) index, those with the lowest SES were less likely to use telemedicine than those with the highest SES index (AOR = 0.193, 95% CI = 0.055-0.683 for the lower bottom (poorest). Conclusion: This study highlights a significant disparity in the utilization of telemedicine services across different populations, primarily due to demographic and socioeconomic factors.