Indonesian Perspectives about Telemedicine: Strength of Social Support, Access, and Internet Use Telehealth Usability Amidst COVID-19

Abstract

Indonesia faced significant challenges in managing the COVID-19 outbreak. The nation's extensive population and geographic distribution posed significant challenges to implementing conventional healthcare delivery approaches during periods of lockdown and restricted mobility. Telemedicine has emerged as a feasible approach to deliver healthcare services with reduced reliance on face-to-face contact. This study aims to determine the relationship between Knowledge, Attitude, Length of Using the Internet, Accessibility and Social Support of Telemedicine users with skills in using Telemedicine applications in Indonesia's Primary healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic. This research uses quantitative research with a cross-sectional research design. Data was obtained by observation using a Telehealth Usability Questionnaire (TUQ). The research samples are people who use telemedicine applications in the primary healthcare area using multiple linear regression methods to evaluate telemedicine skills. The results showed a significant association between the length of internet use, accessibility, social support and skills in telemedicine applications during the COVID-19 pandemic. The right advice on the strategy of employing telemedicine is to achieve health services uniformly throughout the country's population, enhance service quality, particularly in distant locations, reduce expenses compared to conventional ways, and improve health status.