Date of Award

Spring 2017

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

First Advisor

Dr. Douglas Bruce

Abstract

There has been a spike in the nation’s interest in telemedicine over the past decade. Mobile applications, remote-monitoring devices, and image-sharing software have been designed to provide patients convenient access to medical attention. One of these technologies, an enclosed medical booth called the HealthSpot® kiosk (HSK), was installed in the John Carroll University Student Health and Wellness Center in 2014. The HealthSpot® kiosk utilizes videoconferencing technology to simulate face-to-face communication between providers and patients. This new technology would seem to be a good fit for a small college campus, as college-aged students accept technology quickly, and small campuses often have limited access to physicians; however, only 32 students used the HSK during its 13-month tenure. The current study utilizes the Theory of Planned Behavior to identify barriers that prevented many students from trying the HSK. Students at John Carroll University (n = 125) responded to a 25-item survey about their attitudes, subjective normative beliefs, perceived behavioral control, and intentions regarding using the HSK, as well as for face-to-face physician visits. Results revealed that intention to use the kiosk was significantly correlated with attitude and subjective norms. Participants who expressed positive opinions about the HealthSpot® kiosk and those who believed their close friends and family would express positive options about the HealthSpot® kiosk reported stronger intentions to use the HSK. Qualitative evidence suggest lack of knowledge and access may have also played a role in the limited use of the HSK. Findings from this study should inform future campaigns to promote the use of telemedicine technology on college campuses.

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