Knowledge, Perception, and Willingness of Using Telemedicine Among the Medical Students of King Edward Medical University, Lahore, Pakistan in 2024: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Background: Telemedicine is the delivery of health-related services using electronic means. Given the immense strain on Pakistan's health care system, there is a need for telemedicine. Objectives: To determine the knowledge, perception, and willingness of using telemedicine among medical students of a public medical university and if they are associated with age, gender, year of education, urban-rural background, and one another. Methods: A cross-sectional survey with a population size of 189 students and non-probability convenience sampling technique was conducted among the MBBS students of a public medical university. An online questionnaire was used to collect data, and SPSS version 29 was used for analysis. Results: The responses were used to calculate knowledge, perception, and willingness scores for each participant. Independent two-sample t-test revealed association between Perception and gender (higher in females; P=0.002), and background (higher in urban; P<0.001), Willingness and gender (higher in females; P=0,021), and Willingness and background (higher in urban; P=0.018). One-way ANOVA revealed association between knowledge and education (highest in 4th year; P=0.007) and Perception and education (highest in 4th year; P=0.014). Pearson correlation coefficient was significant and positive between Perception and knowledge (rho=0.178; P=0.015), as well as Willingness and Perception (rho=0.492; P<0.001). Conclusion: Most students had an average knowledge but good perception and willingness of using telemedicine. Knowledge and perception were associated with the 4th year of MBBS. Perception and willingness were associated with the female gender and urban background. Willingness correlated positively with perception, which correlated positively with knowledge