Knowledge, attitude, and practice of virtual consultation among outpatients at a teaching hospital in Malaysia

Introduction: During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the use of virtual consultations has accelerated to ensure continued access to healthcare despite lockdowns and physical distancing measures. We aimed to determine the knowledge (awareness) of, attitude (acceptability) to, and practice (exposure) [KAP] of virtual consultations (VC), the demographic factors associated with poor KAP, and the correlation between the three KAP domains. Methods: A cross-sectional study, using a convenience sampling technique, was conducted from 13 September, 2021 to 28 November, 2021. We designed a 45-item VC KAP questionnaire. This was distributed to outpatient users attending cardiovascular, dermatology, geriatrics, haematology, endocrine, respiratory, gastroenterology, rheumatology, or neurology clinics at the University Malaya Medical Centre. It was completed during face-to-face, online, or telephone interviews. The data were analysed using SPSS version 24.0. Binary logistic regression was used to determine the demographic factors associated with KAP. Correlation between KAP domains was determined using Spearman's rho (r). A p-value of Results: A total of 366 questionnaires were completed. Knowledge (awareness), attitude (acceptability), and practice (exposure) were considered good in 69.7%, 80.9%, and 24.6% of participants, respectively. There were no significant relationships between age, gender, ethnicity, and duration of hospital attendance (years) with knowledge (awareness), attitude (acceptability), and practice (exposure). A moderate positive correlation was seen between knowledge (awareness) and attitude (acceptability) (Attitude total [Atotal]) (r = 0.48, p Conclusion: Overall, outpatient clinic users had good knowledge (awareness) of and were receptive towards VC but had poor practice (exposure). More opportunities for VC use in healthcare can increase exposure and subsequent utilisation. Interventions to increase the effectiveness of VC use should be explored in future studies.</p

Knowledge, attitude, and practice of virtual consultation among outpatients at a teaching hospital in Malaysia

Introduction: During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the use of virtual consultations has accelerated to ensure continued access to healthcare despite lockdowns and physical distancing measures. We aimed to determine the knowledge (awareness) of, attitude (acceptability) to, and practice (exposure) [KAP] of virtual consultations (VC), the demographic factors associated with poor KAP, and the correlation between the three KAP domains. Methods: A cross-sectional study, using a convenience sampling technique, was conducted from 13 September, 2021 to 28 November, 2021. We designed a 45-item VC KAP questionnaire. This was distributed to outpatient users attending cardiovascular, dermatology, geriatrics, haematology, endocrine, respiratory, gastroenterology, rheumatology, or neurology clinics at the University Malaya Medical Centre. It was completed during face-to-face, online, or telephone interviews. The data were analysed using SPSS version 24.0. Binary logistic regression was used to determine the demographic factors associated with KAP. Correlation between KAP domains was determined using Spearman's rho (r). A p-value of Results: A total of 366 questionnaires were completed. Knowledge (awareness), attitude (acceptability), and practice (exposure) were considered good in 69.7%, 80.9%, and 24.6% of participants, respectively. There were no significant relationships between age, gender, ethnicity, and duration of hospital attendance (years) with knowledge (awareness), attitude (acceptability), and practice (exposure). A moderate positive correlation was seen between knowledge (awareness) and attitude (acceptability) (Attitude total [Atotal]) (r = 0.48, p Conclusion: Overall, outpatient clinic users had good knowledge (awareness) of and were receptive towards VC but had poor practice (exposure). More opportunities for VC use in healthcare can increase exposure and subsequent utilisation. Interventions to increase the effectiveness of VC use should be explored in future studies.</p

Late Heart to Mediastinal Uptake Ratios.

<p>Filled circles, empty circles, and triangles represent individual values, while horizontal lines represent mean values. <b>H:M</b>, heart to mediastinal uptake ratio; <b>CSS</b>, carotid sinus syndrome; <b>aCSH</b>, asymptomatic carotid sinus hypersensitivity; <b>no CSH</b>, no carotid sinus hypersensitivity.Symbols represent individual values, while horizontal lines represent mean values.</p

Early and delayed myocardial planar scintigraphy of (A) a participant with symptomatic CSS and (B) an asymptomatic control participant without CSH.

<p>The circles (2) highlight the regions of interest for the heart and the squares (1) highlight the mediastinal reference region.</p

The tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS).

<p>The tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) showing medial diffusivity (MD) voxels of the white matter tracts between the fallers and non-fallers, taking into account age, functional reach (FR), white matter lesion volume, hypertension and orthostatic hypotension as covariates. TBSS skeleton (green).</p

Early Heart to Mediastinal Uptake Ratios.

<p>Filled circles, empty circles, and triangles represent individual values, while horizontal lines represent mean values. H:M, heart to mediastinal uptake ratio; CSS, carotid sinus syndrome; aCSH, asymptomatic carotid sinus hypersensitivity; no CSH, no carotid sinus hypersensitivity.</p

The logistic regression analysis of the covariates using backward LR selection.

<p>The logistic regression analysis of the covariates using backward LR selection.</p

History of falls for fallers and non-fallers group.

<p>History of falls for fallers and non-fallers group.</p

The VBM analysis.

<p>Axial T2-Weighted FLAIR Image, T1-Weighted FSPGR Image and lesions segmented using LST of SPM8.</p

The tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS).

<p>The tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) showing axial diffusivity (AD) voxels of the white matter tracts that demonstrated significant differences between the fallers and non-fallers. TBSS skeleton (green); p <0.05 (red-yellow); significance levels gradient (red < orange < yellow).</p