Telemedicine in urogynaecology during COVID-19 in Hong Kong: An assessment of Chinese patients' acceptability using a validated questionnaire.

ABSTRACT

AIMS: There is no urogynaecology teleconsultation services available in Hong Kong's public health system. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess Chinese womens' acceptance of teleconsultations during the COVID-19 pandemic using the validated Telemedicine Perception Questionnaire (TMPQ). MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred and fifty-one patients attending our urogynaecology clinic between February and March 2021 were recruited for an in-person interview. Patients who could not comprehend the questionnaire due to neurological or psychiatric conditions were excluded. TMPQ is a 17-item, five-point Likert scale questionnaire developed to assess the acceptability of telemedicine. Scores range from 17 to 85; a higher score reflects a more positive overall perception of telemedicine. Additional questions on demographics, medical history, Internet access and transport arrangements were included. RESULTS: Mean age was 67.5 ± 11.3 years. Mean TMPQ score was 53.93 ± 8.49. Younger age, higher education, employment, prior telecommunication platform usage, lower travelling costs and interest in telemedicine were associated with a higher TMPQ score (P < 0.05). Multiple linear regression analysis found age (ß = -0.132, 95% CI (confidence interval) -0.225 to -0.04), interest in telemedicine (ß = 10.169, 95% CI 8.073-12.266) and post-operative status (ß = 4.743, 95% CI 1.172-8.314) significantly predicted TMPQ score (adjusted R2  = 0.427). CONCLUSIONS: Our study found that the acceptability of telemedicine in Hong Kong was weak and identified patient groups that showed favourable attitudes. Future research directions would be to perform pilot studies to assess any change in perception after using telemedicine so that this service can be provided to patient groups who would benefit most, ensuring effective use of public resources.