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BackgroundConsidering individual differences caused by personality differences is crucial for end users' technology acceptance. However, previous studies overlooked the influence of users' technology readiness on technology acceptance. This study, therefore, aimed to evaluate the influence of technology readiness on teleradiology acceptance in the Amhara Regional State Public Hospitals using a technology readiness acceptance model.MethodsAn institutional-based cross-sectional mixed study design was conducted in September 2021 among 547 health professionals working at sixteen public hospitals in the Amhara region of northwest Ethiopia. Eight key informants were interviewed to explore organizational-related factors. Face-to-face and Google Meet approaches were used to collect the data. We applied structural equation modeling to investigate the influence of technology readiness on health professionals' teleradiology acceptance using Analysis of Moment Structures Version 23 software.ResultsOf the total participants, 70.2% and 85.7% were ready and intended to use teleradiology, respectively. According to technology readiness measuring constructs, optimism and innovativeness positively influenced health professionals' technology acceptance. Perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness showed a statistically positive significant effect on health professionals' intention to use teleradiology. In addition, a statistically significant mediation effect was observed between technology readiness measuring constructs and behavioral intention to use. Furthermore, a shortage of budget, inadequate infrastructure, and users' lack of adequate skills were reported as critical organizational challenges.ConclusionsWe found a higher proportion of readiness and intention to use teleradiology among health professionals. Personality difference measuring constructs and organizational factors played considerable influence on teleradiology acceptance. Therefore, before the actual implementation of teleradiology, ensuring the system's user-friendliness, improving infrastructure, allocating an adequate budget, and availing of capacity-building opportunities are recommended.

IntroductionDespite the high expectations of electronic medical records as a great prospect for improving performance in healthcare, the level of adoption and utilization, particularly in a developing country, is low. Knowing the willingness to use the electronic medical record system in the private hospital has an impact on the future implementation status and utilization of the electronic medical record in Ethiopia. However, there was no evidence of the status of the willingness to use electronic medical record systems in private hospitals in the Amhara region. This study aimed to assess the willingness to use electronic medical record Systems and its associated factors among health professionals working in Amhara Region Private Hospitals.MethodsA cross-sectional institutional study was performed among 406 health professionals selected using proportional allocation with a simple random sampling technique in Amhara region private hospitals by using self-administered structured questionnaires. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 20 software. Descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression were performed to estimate the crude and adjusted odds ratios with a 95% Confidence interval.ResultsOut of the 406 participants included in the analysis, 307 (75.6%) showed a willingness to use the electronic medical record system. About three hundred twelve (76.8%) health professionals had good knowledge of electronic medical record systems, and 257 (63.3%) had good computer skills in electronic medical record systems. Health professionals who had electronic medical record knowledge (AOR = 1.85, 95% CI (1.004-3.409)), EMR training (3.29, 95% CI (1.353-8.003)), technical support personnel (1.92, 95% CI (1.122-3.305)), supportive supervision (AOR = 1.97, 95% CI (1.072-3.628)), and computer skill on electronic medical record (1.77, 95% CI (1.002-3.148)) were significantly associated with the outcome variable.ConclusionsThis finding shows a good proportion of willingness to use the electronic medical record system. The most significant factors associated with willingness to use the electronic medical record system were a lack of computer skills, computer training, and knowledge of the electronic medical record system.

Background The World Health Organization (WHO) encourages breastfeeding to begin within the first hour after birth in order to save children’s lives. In Ethiopia, different studies are done on the prevalence and determinants of breastfeeding initiation, up to our knowledge, the spatial distribution and the spatial determinants of breast feeding initiation over time are not investigated. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to assess spatial variation and its spatial determinant of delayed initiation of breastfeeding in Ethiopia using Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR). Methods A cross-sectional study was undertaken using the nationally representative 2016 Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey (EDHS) dataset. Global Moran’s I statistic was used to measure whether delayed breastfeeding initiation was dispersed, clustered, or randomly distributed in study area. Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression was used to identify factors explaining the geographic variation in delayed breastfeeding initiation. Besides, spatial variability of relationships between dependent and selected predictors was investigated using geographically weighted regression. Result A total weighted sample of 4169 children of aged 0 to 23 months was included in this study. Delayed initiation of breastfeeding was spatially varies across the country with a global Moran’s I value of 0.158 at (p-valueConclusion In Ethiopia initiation of breastfeeding varies geographically across region. A significant hotspot was identified in the Amhara, Afar, and Tigray regions. The GWR analysis revealed that orthodox religion, poor wealth index, caesarian section, baby postnatal checkup, and small birth weight were spatially significant factors.

BackgroundIn almost all lower and lower middle-income countries, the healthcare system is structured in the customary model of in-person or face to face model of care. With the current global COVID-19 pandemics, the usual health care service has been significantly altered in many aspects. Given the fragile health system and high number of immunocompromised populations in lower and lower-middle income countries, the economic impacts of COVID-19 are anticipated to be worse. In such scenarios, technological solutions like, Telemedicine which is defined as the delivery of healthcare service remotely using telecommunication technologies for exchange of medical information, diagnosis, consultation and treatment is critical. The aim of this study was to assess healthcare providers' acceptance and preferred modality of telemedicine and factors thereof among health professionals working in Ethiopia.MethodsA multi-centric online survey was conducted via social media platforms such as telegram channels, Facebook groups/pages and email during Jul 1- Sep 21, 2020. The questionnaire was adopted from previously validated model in low income setting. Internal consistency of items was assessed using Cronbach alpha (α), composite reliability (CR) and average variance extracted (AVE) to evaluate both discriminant and convergent validity of constructs. The extent of relationship among variables were evaluated by Structural equation modeling (SEM) using SPSS Amos version 23.ResultsFrom the expected 423 responses, 319 (75.4%) participants responded to the survey questionnaire during the data collection period. The majority of participants were male (78.1%), age ConclusionThis study found that effort expectancy and attitude were significantly predictors of healthcare professionals' acceptance of telemedicine. Attitude toward using telemedicine systems was also highly influenced by performance expectancy, self-efficacy and facilitating conditions. effort expectancy and attitude were also significant mediators in predicting users' acceptance of telemedicine. In addition, mHealth approach was the most preferred modality of telemedicine and this opens an opportunity to integrate telemedicine systems in the health system during and post pandemic health services in low-income countries.