[USE OF DIGITAL SERVICES IN A PRIMARY CARE CLINIC IN THE BEDOUIN SECTOR IN SOUTHERN ISRAEL].

Abstract

Introduction: "Digital Health" includes a variety of health services delivered through technological means, such as: booking an appointment, talking to a doctor, viewing personal information and more. The use of digital services in Clalit Health Services (CHS) clinics in the Bedouin sector is low compared to the general sector.

Objectives: To examine the usage of digital services, the characteristics of users, and the barriers to use it among patients from the Bedouin sector at the Segev Shalom Clinic of CHS.

Methods: A cross-sectional study among visitors to the CHS Segev Shalom clinic, aged 18-65 years during the period 17.05.2023-31.05.2023). The clinic's members belong to the Bedouin sector and have a low socioeconomic level. About 50% of the clinic's members live around the settlement of Segev Shalom. The visitors were interviewed using a structured research questionnaire that examined the use and barriers to use of telehealth services among the Arab population in Israel.

Results: A total of 196 clinic visitors were interviewed. Of these, 37.3% were males, average age 34.5±11.2 years and 58% live in a permanent settlement. About 44% of the respondents do not book a doctor appointment in advance but come to the clinic when necessary; 38.8% book an appointment by phone, and only 16.8% book an appointment through digital services. The main reason for not using digital services (80.5% of respondents) was lack of knowledge on how to use the service. In a logistic regression model for predicting patients who will not make a doctor's appointment in advance, it was found that the influential factors are: gender (male) (OR=1.92, (p=0.04), age in years (OR=1.03, p=0.01), little/very little consent that fast service can be obtained via digital services (OR=2.24, p=0.02) and smartphone ownership (OR=0.08, p=0.02).

Conclusions: Among the study population, there is a lack of awareness of digital services and a lack of knowledge of its operation. Work should be taken to raise awareness and knowledge in a variety of ways at the clinic level, the community level and the sector level.