Knowledge and Attitude of Mental Healthcare Providers Towards Telepsychiatry Services and Associated Factors at Public Referral Hospitals in Addis Ababa City, Ethiopia, 2022

Abstract

Abstract Introduction: Health systems around the world are struggling with the massive numbers of people with mental disorders. The treatment gap for mental disorders is high all over the world, with between 76% and 85% of people in low- and middleincome countries with severe mental disorders receiving no treatment for their mental

health conditions. Telepsychiatry is used as an alternative solution to the problem of

limited mental health

services and effective telepsychiatry use may be achievable if mental healthcare providers have good knowledge and attitude towards it. Objective: To assess the knowledge and attitude of mental healthcare providers towards telepsychiatry service and associated factors at public referral hospitals in Addis Ababa city, Ethiopia, 2022. Method: A Multicenter institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 413 mental health professionals working in public referral hospitals in Addis Ababa city, from May 04 to June 10, 2022. Data were collected by using a structured and self-administered questionnaire prepared by reviewing previous related studies. Epi Data version 3.1 and Stata version 14 were used for data entry and analysis respectively. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to identify factors associated with knowledge and attitudes towards telepsychiatry services. A statistical significance was declared at p-value< 0.05 and 95% CI. Result: A total of 413 Participants were enrolled with a response rate of 91.8%. The majority of respondents 230 (55.69%) were male and the mean age of participants was 29 years (SD + 5.02). The prevalence of good Knowledge and attitude towards telepsychiatry services were, 41% [95% CI (37%, 47%)] and 14% [95% CI (11%, 17%)] respectively. Being female [AOR: 0.34; 95% CI (0.15, 0.76)], poor IT support [AOR = 0.32, 95% CI (0.11, 0.99)], and e-Health technology experience [AOR: 1.21; 95% CI (1.1, 2.44)] were significantly associated with knowledge of telepsychiatry services. Similarly, having electronic health technology experience [AOR 16.79; 95% CI (4.26, 29.3)], lack of training in telemedicine applications [(AOR 0.1; 95% CI (0.01, 0.41)] and having good knowledge of telepsychiatry services [AOR 6.89; 95%CI (1.8, 12.0)] were significantly associated with attitude towards telepsychiatry services. Conclusion: This study found that mental healthcare providers generally had poor knowledge and poor attitude regarding telepsychiatry services. In this study, Gender, IT support, experience in e-Health technology tools and Internet use for health information access were significantly associated with the knowledge of telepsychiatry services. Whereas good computer uses for daily work activities, eHealth technology experiences, perceptions towards e-health technologies, e-Health technology awareness programs, training in telemedicine applications, and knowledge of telepsychiatry services were found to be associated with attitude toward telepsychiatry services. Keywords: Mental health care providers, knowledge and attitude, telepsychiatry services.