RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, telehealth has become a safer way to access health care. The telehealth industry has rapidly expanded over the last decade as a modality to provide patient-centered care. However, the prevalence of its use and patient acceptability remains unclear in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. OBJECTIVE: The primary aim was to assess the prevalence of telehealth use before and during the pandemic by using social media (Instagram) as an online platform for survey administration across different countries simultaneously. Our secondary aim was to assess the perceptions regarding telehealth among those using it. METHODS: An Instagram account that reaches 130,000 subjects daily was used to administer a questionnaire that assessed the current prevalence of telehealth use and public attitudes and acceptability toward this modality of health care delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic. RESULTS: A total of 1524 respondents participated in the survey (n=1356, 89% female; median age 31 years), of whom 97.6% (n=1487) lived in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. Prior to COVID-19, 1350 (88.6%) had no exposure to telehealth. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, telehealth use increased by 251% to a total of 611 users (40% of all users). About 89% (571/640) of telehealth users used virtual visits for specialist visits. Of the 642 participants who reported using telehealth, 236 (36.8%) reported their willingness to continue using telehealth, 241 (37.5%) were unsure, and 164 (25.5%) did not wish to continue to use telehealth after the COVID-19 pandemic. An inverse trend, although not statistically significant, was seen between willingness to continue telehealth use and the number of medical comorbidities (odds ratio [OR] 0.81, 95% CI 0.64-1.03; P=.09). Compared to the respondents who chose only messaging as the modality they used for telehealth, respondents who chose both messaging and phone calls were significantly less likely to recommend telehealth (OR 0.42, 95% CI 0.22-0.80; P=.009). Overall, there was general satisfaction with telehealth, and respondents reported that telehealth consultations made them feel safer and saved both time and money. CONCLUSIONS: Telehealth use increased dramatically after the COVID-19 pandemic, and telehealth was found to be acceptable among some young adult groups on Instagram. However, further innovation is warranted to increase acceptability and willingness to continue telehealth use for the delivery of health care.
RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Social media is one of the most rapid and impactful ways of obtaining and delivering information in the modern era. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to rapidly obtain information on public perceptions, knowledge, and behaviors related to COVID-19 in order to identify deficiencies in key areas of public education. METHODS: Using a cross-sectional study design, a survey web link was posted on the social media and messaging platforms Instagram, Twitter, and WhatsApp by the study investigators. Participants, aged ≥18 years, filled out the survey on a voluntary basis. The main outcomes measured were knowledge of COVID-19 symptoms, protective measures against COVID-19, and source(s) of information about COVID-19. Subgroup analyses were conducted to determine the effects of age, gender, underlying illness, and working or studying in the health care industry on the perceived likelihood of acquiring COVID-19 and getting vaccinated. RESULTS: A total of 5677 subjects completed the survey over the course of 1 week. "Fever or chills" (n=4973, 87.6%) and "shortness of breath" (n=4695, 82.7%) were identified as the main symptoms of COVID-19. Washing and sanitizing hands (n=4990, 87.9%) and avoiding public places and crowds (n=4865, 85.7%) were identified as the protective measures most frequently used against COVID-19. Social media was the most utilized source for information on the disease (n=4740, 83.5%), followed by the World Health Organization (n=2844, 50.1%). Subgroup analysis revealed that younger subjects (<35 years), males, and those working or studying in health care reported a higher perceived likelihood of acquiring COVID-19, whereas older subjects, females, and those working or studying in non-health care areas reported a lower perceived likelihood of acquiring COVID-19. Similar trends were observed for vaccination against COVID-19, with older subjects, females, and those working or studying in non-health care sectors reporting a lower likelihood of vaccinating against COVID-19. CONCLUSIONS: Our results are indicative of a relatively well-informed cohort implementing appropriate protective measures. However, key knowledge deficiencies exist with regards to vaccination against COVID-19, which future efforts should aim at correcting.
