Abstract of Master’s Dissertation
No.1
CourseMaster of Science in Global Healthand Medicine

Thesis
Title

Assessment of the opportunities and barriers to the use of telemedicine forfollow-up consultations for people living with HIV in Nigeria.

Name

Aliyu Aliyu Bello

Background: Over the past decade, Nigeria has made significant progress in increasing
access to care for people living with HIV. However, several challenges continue to affect
the quality of care available to patients. These challenges include stigma, poverty,
overcrowded healthcare facilities, and a chronic shortage of healthcare manpower.
Mitigating these challenges requires more funding, manpower, technology, andalternative interventions. Telemedicine is one such intervention, having shown promise
in some countries; hence the need to evaluate it as a potential tool to both improve thequality and increase access to care for people living with HIV in Nigeria.
Objectives: To assess the opportunities and barriers to using telemedicine for follow-up
consultations for people living with HIV in Nigeria, by evaluating key factors such as
acceptance and necessary facilitating conditions among patients and healthcare workers.
Methods: A mixed method concurrent embedded design was chosen for this study. This
involves the concurrent collection of qualitative data, embedded within a quantitative
questionnaire, followed by independent analysis of the two data strands and integrationof the resultant findings. Across two facilities (rural versus urban) in Abuja, Nigeria, 389
patients and 138 healthcare workers were surveyed. Data were collected using two
separate interviewer-administered questionnaires. Quantitative and qualitative data
analysis was performed using STATA version 16 and MAXQDA version 2022.2,respectively, followed by integration of the results from both strands.
Results: Patients and healthcare workers held generally positive opinions abouttelemedicine. Both groups recognized the potential of telemedicine to reduce costs andcut down waiting times, hence increasing access. Health workers identified thepotential to decongest healthcare facilities and help streamline workflows as key
expectations of telemedicine. Regarding privacy, however, reactions were mixed acrossboth groups; while some thought that telemedicine would increase privacy and promote
access for patients, others pointed out that receiving care at home could undermine
patient privacy. Telemedicine acceptance was 61% and 81% among patients andhealthcare workers, respectively. Among patients, telemedicine acceptance wasassociated with gender (AOR; 1.9, CI; 1.1-3.1) and the cost of transport to the healthcare
facility; as demonstrated by men being more likely to accept telemedicine than womenand a 40% increase in the likelihood of accepting telemedicine for every $1 increase in
the cost of transport to the healthcare facility. Mobile phone access among patients was
generally high with 95% of patients interviewed reporting that they had access to amobile phone, internet access, however; was low, at 33%. The level of technology
awareness was also low among patients, with a mean technology awareness score of1.18 (out of a maximum of 10).
＊The abstract, containing background, objectives, methods, results and conclusion should not exceed
300-500words and printed double sided on A4 paper)

Abstract of Master’s Dissertation
No.2
CourseMaster of Science in Global Healthand Medicine

NameAliyu Aliyu BelloConclusion: Opportunities exist for the use of telemedicine for the follow-up ofpatients with HIV in Nigeria, these include relatively high mobile phone access rates
among HIV patients, a relatively technology-aware health workforce, and overall
positive opinions regarding telemedicine among both patients and healthcare
workers. However, barriers might also exist, factors such as low internet accessamong patients, privacy concerns, and resource inequalities could also serve as
barriers.