Public Knowledge, Perception, and Expressed Choice of Telemedicine in Rural West Virginia

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Abstract
Objective It is doubtful that any new health care delivery system that requires as much adjustment as telemedicine does will be sustained if its users do not fully support it. We sought to determine the familiarity with, perceptions of, and attitudes toward telemedicine among rural adults in West Virginia. Methods Data were collected in a statewide telephone survey of 461 non-institutionalized rural adults. The survey contained questions about familiarity with telemedicine, perceptions about its attributes and benefits, and willingness to use it for routine, specialty, and emergency care. Responses were examined in relation to the subjects' age, sex, socioeconomic status, access to care, and insurance coverage. Results Despite mass media coverage of the subject, only one third of the respondents had heard of telemedicine. Nearly two thirds thought patients would find it less satisfactory than seeing a physician in person. Male subjects, younger subjects, and those with higher incomes were more likely to t...

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