Participant satisfaction in an adult telehealth education program using interactive compressed video delivery methods in rural Arkansas.

CONTEXT: Rural Americans have less access than their urban counterparts to health promotion information. PURPOSE: To assess differences in program satisfaction associated with age, gender, ethnicity, community size, and education among participants in an Arkansas adult telehealth education program that utilized interactive video technology. METHODS: A program evaluation instrument was administered to a convenience sample of 2567 people who participated in the program from 1996 through 1999. FINDINGS: The evaluation instrument demonstrated adequate internal consistency reliability (Cronbach's alpha = 0.85) and construct validity. Older adults, blacks, American Indians, and participants from smaller rural communities and with a high school degree or less had significantly greater satisfaction (P < .001 to P = .03). CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that socioeconomic and demographic factors can affect satisfaction with telehealth education programs.

The impact of telemedicine on patients' cost savings: some preliminary findings.

This study evaluated patients' cost savings in a telehealth project at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences' (UAMS) during 1998-2002. Differences in patients' cost savings from telemedicine were assessed by gender, age, ethnicity, education, occupation, annual household income, health insurance status, and household and community size. Variables examined for patients' cost savings included travel distance for medical care, missed days at work, and family expenses. The study population consisted of self-selected telemedicine patients in rural Arkansas (N = 410 consults). Results suggest that without telemedicine, 94% of patients would travel greater than 70 miles for medical care; 84% would miss one day of work; and 74% would spend $75-$150 for additional family expenses. With telemedicine, 92% of patients saved $32 in fuel costs; 84% saved $100 in wages; and 74% saved $75-$150 in family expenses. Patients living alone (p < 0.001) and in smaller rural communities (p = 0.002) were significantly more likely to miss one day of work without telemedicine than patients with larger households and those residing in larger rural communities. Females (p = 0.040) and patients with a annual household income over $25,000 (p = 0.005) were significantly more likely to have family expenses over $150 without telemedicine than males and patients with a household income of $25,000 or less.

Participant satisfaction with a school telehealth education program using interactive compressed video delivery methods in rural Arkansas.

Socioeconomic and demographic factors can affect the impact of telehealth education programs that use interactive compressed video technology. This study assessed program satisfaction among participants in the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences' School Telehealth Education Program delivered by interactive compressed video. Variables in the one-group posttest study were age, gender, ethnicity, education, community size, and program topics for years 1997-1999. The convenience sample included 3,319 participants in junior high and high schools. The School Telehealth Education Program provided information about health risks, disease prevention, health promotion, personal growth, and health sciences. Adolescents reported medium to high levels of satisfaction regarding program interest and quality. Significantly higher satisfaction was expressed for programs on muscular dystrophy, anatomy of the heart, and tobacco addiction (p < 0.001 to p = 0.003). Females, African Americans, and junior high school students reported significantly greater satisfaction (p < 0.001 to p = 0.005). High school students reported significantly greater satisfaction than junior high school students regarding the interactive video equipment (p = 0.011). White females (p = 0.025) and African American males (p = 0.004) in smaller, rural communities reported higher satisfaction than White males. The School Telehealth Education Program, delivered by interactive compressed video, promoted program satisfaction among rural and minority populations and among junior high and high school students. Effective program methods included an emphasis on participants' learning needs, increasing access in rural areas among ethnic groups, speaker communication, and clarity of the program presentation.