Determinants of Telerehabilitation Acceptance among Patients Attending Pulmonary Rehabilitation Programs in the United States

Abstract

Background: Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is an interdisciplinary intervention designed to improve the physical status and the psychological condition of people with chronic respiratory diseases. To improve patients' participation in PR programs, telerehabilitation has been introduced.

Objective: This study aimed to identify factors that could influence the intention to use telerehabilitation among patients attending traditional PR programs.

Methods: This cross-sectional study recruited subjects attending the PR centers in the hospitals of the Indiana State University, United States of America, between January and May 2017. Data were collected using self-administered Tele-Pulmonary Rehabilitation Acceptance Scale (TPRAS). TPRAS had two subscales: perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. Behavioral intention (BI) was the dependent variable, and all responses were dichotomized into positive and negative intention to use. Multiple logistic regressions were performed to assess the influence of variables on the intention to use telerehabilitation.

Results: A total of 134 respondents were included in this study, of which 61.2% indicated positive intention to use telerehabilitation. Perceived usefulness was a significant predictor of the positive intentions to use of telerehabilitation. Duration of respiratory disease was negatively associated with the use of telerehabilitation.

Conclusion: Perceived usefulness was a significant predictor of using telerehabilitation. The findings of this study may be useful for health-care organizations in improving the adoption of telerehabilitation or in its implementation. Future telerehabilitation acceptance studies could explore the effects of additional factors including computer literacy and culture on the intention to use telerehabilitation.