This paper is in the following e-collection/theme issue:

TTRN CPH 2022: "Digital Health beyond COVID-19: Lessons Learned" (37)

Published on in Vol 9 (2023)

Preprints (earlier versions) of this paper are available at https://preprints.jmir.org/preprint/41285, first published .
Challenges and Opportunities of the Use and Adoption of Telemedicine for Diabetes Care and Management During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond

Challenges and Opportunities of the Use and Adoption of Telemedicine for Diabetes Care and Management During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond

Challenges and Opportunities of the Use and Adoption of Telemedicine for Diabetes Care and Management During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond

Authors of this article:

Rabab Altabtabaei1 Author Orcid Image ;   Dari Alhuwail1, 2 Author Orcid Image
Article Authors Cited by Tweetations Metrics

    Abstract

    1Information Science Department, Kuwait University, Sabah AlSalem University City, Kuwait

    2Health Informatics Unit, Dasman Diabetes Institute, Dasman, Kuwait

    Corresponding Author:

    Dari Alhuwail, BSc, MSc, PhD

    Information Science Department

    Kuwait University

    College of Life Sciences

    PO Box 5969

    Sabah AlSalem University City, 13060

    Kuwait

    Phone: 965 24633214

    Email: dari.alhuwail@ku.edu.kw


    Background: More than half of the world’s population deals with noncommunicable diseases causing premature death. Leveraging digital solutions like telemedicine, health care providers (HCPs) can provide medical care remotely. Yet, there is little known about the contextual challenges and opportunities of leveraging telemedicine solutions in varying socioeconomic and cultural contexts, including Kuwait.

    Objective: The aims of this paper were as follows: (1) uncover the challenges and opportunities of adopting and using telemedicine for diabetes care and management from the viewpoints of HCPs and patients with diabetes; (2) explore nonfunctional requirements for telemedicine applications for diabetes care and management; and (3) offer recommendations to improve the adoption of telemedicine in Kuwait’s health care system for diabetes care and management.

    Methods: Through semistructured interviews, this study employed a qualitative and exploratory design to uncover rich context-specific findings. Participants were recruited via social media platforms. The analysis followed a thematic analysis approach and used the framework method. Researchers used the “diffusion of innovation” model as a lens to guide the analysis and interpretation of the results.

    Results: A total of 20 interviews were conducted—10 (50%) HCPs and 10 (50%) patients with diabetes. The participants were familiar with and interested in adopting telemedicine. Challenges included a lack of telemedicine infrastructure and how to increase patients’ technology awareness. Patients with diabetes mentioned that telemedicine would save time and effort. The participants suggested developing a secure, user-friendly telemedicine solution. They stated the importance of telemedicine during the pandemic, as many diabetes cases can be followed up online, which reduces virus spread and increases patients’ safety.

    Conclusions: The findings from this study can give a better understanding of what HCPs and patients with diabetes need to accept the adoption of telemedicine in resource-rich countries like Kuwait. The COVID-19 pandemic impacted the ways HCPs deliver medical care to patients and encouraged both HCPs and patients to explore the digital platform for continuous care and management of diabetes.

    Conflicts of Interest: None declared.

    iproc 2023;9:e41285

    doi:10.2196/41285

    Keywords

    telemedicine; informatics; kuwait; public health informatics; COVID19; diabetes 

    Edited by B Dinesen; This is a non–peer-reviewed article. submitted 21.07.22; accepted 02.02.23; published 15.02.23

    Copyright

    ©Rabab Altabtabaei, Dari Alhuwail. Originally published in Iproceedings (https://www.iproc.org), 15.02.2023.

    This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work, first published in Iproceedings, is properly cited. The complete bibliographic information, a link to the original publication on https://www.iproc.org/, as well as this copyright and license information must be included.