Assessing the Factors of User Resistance to Adopting Telehealth Technology Among Women

TL;DR

This study explores why women in Bangladesh resist using telehealth, finding that low digital literacy and lack of trust are key barriers.

Contribution

The study introduces a model linking psychological factors like digital literacy and trust to telehealth resistance among women in Bangladesh.

Findings

Lack of digital literacy and trust significantly predict resistance to telehealth adoption.

Older women show higher resistance compared to younger women.

Unfamiliarity alone does not hinder adoption unless combined with low literacy and trust.

Abstract

Despite the growing global shift toward digital health solutions, the adoption of telehealth technologies in Bangladesh remains a concerning issue. Psychological factors such as lack of digital literacy, trust, and familiarity may significantly hinder the uptake of telehealth, particularly in developing countries where digital integration in health care is still evolving.

This study aims to identify and evaluate the psychological barriers—specifically lack of familiarity (LOR), lack of digital literacy (LDL), and lack of trust (LT)—that influence user resistance (UR) to adopting telehealth technologies in Bangladesh. Furthermore, women among different age groups have been used as an independent construct to explore how age influences the resistance to adopting telemedicine technology.

One hundred and fifty respondents were administered a structured questionnaire based on a Likert scale. Constructs were measured using items validated through factor analysis. Reliability was confirmed via Cronbach’s alpha. Multiple regression analysis was conducted to test the hypothesized relationships between psychological factors (LOR, LDL, LT) and UR.

The model explained 47.6% of the variance in UR (R2 = 0.476, p < 0.001). Both LDL (β = 0.359, p < 0.001) and LT (β = 0.410, p < 0.001) were found to be significant predictors of resistance. However, LOR (β = 0.078, p = 0.201) did not significantly influence UR. All constructs demonstrated strong internal consistency (Cronbach’s α > 0.76). The Kruskal–Wallis test indicated that age significantly affects women’s resistance to adopting telemedicine. Subsequent pairwise comparisons among age groups revealed that older women exhibit higher levels of resistance compared with their younger counterparts.

The findings suggest that enhancing digital skills and building trust are critical to reducing resistance and promoting the adoption of telehealth in Bangladesh. While unfamiliarity alone does not deter adoption, it becomes a barrier when compounded by low digital literacy and trust concerns. Targeted interventions such as digital literacy training and transparent communication about data security could facilitate greater acceptance and integration of telehealth technologies in the country.

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