Knowledge, Attitude and Willingness to Use mHealth Technology among Doctors at a Semi Urban Tertiary Hospital in Nigeria
Olufunmilayo Victoria Adebara
Department of Paediatrics, Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido Ekiti, Nigeria
Idowu Oluwaseyi Adebara *
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido Ekiti, Nigeria
Raji Olaide
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Ilorin, Nigeria
Gabriel Olusegun Emmanuel
Department of Family Medicine, Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido Ekiti, Nigeria
Onigbogii Olanrewaju
Department of Community Health, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Lagos, Nigeria
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Context: Mobile Health technology emerged as an innovative and important Information Communication Technology tool with which to impact health for all.
Aims: This study aimed at assessing the knowledge, attitude and willingness to use mHealth technology in medical management and patient follow-up by doctors at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido-Ekiti.
Settings and Design: Descriptive cross sectional questionnaire based study.
Methods and Materials: Proportionate sampling was used to select 220 doctors; data were obtained with a self-administered questionnaire. Ethical approval was obtained from LUTH HREC. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 21.
Results: The mean age was 35.2 ± 7.3 years with a Male: Female ratio of 2.39:1. Knowledge of mHealth technology was high, with a mean score of 94.31 ± 11.26, majority of respondents (97.6%) had positive attitude.
A weak association was observed between respondents’ attitude and the statistically significant variables with multiple correlation coefficient of determination of 0.022.
Although 80% of respondents were willing to use mHealth, just about half were willing to expand the use of mHealth in bridging the digital divide even with higher fee charges. There was a significant association between the years of experience and willingness to use mHealth (p=0.049).
Conclusions: Although knowledge was high and attitude of respondents’ positive, willingness to expand mHealth use was low. There is therefore a need to expand mHealth coverage in Nigeria.
Keywords: mHealth, knowledge, attitude, willingness