Attitudes and Barriers to the Use of Telemedicine in the Ultra-Orthodox Society in Israel: A Cross-Sectional Study

The use of telemedicine by the Ultra-Orthodox (UO) population in Israel presents challenges due to unique cultural characteristics, including limited internet use for religious ideological reasons and lower levels of digital literacy. This cross-sectional survey examines the rate of telemedicine use in the UO society in Israel according to religious groups, factors, attitudes and barriers associated with telemedicine use. The study included 1460 adult UO participants using quota by gender, and religiosity groups. The participants underwent a phone interview assessing telemedicine use (defined as at least one monthly phone/video call/e-mail correspondence with a medical professional, during the last year), attitudes, and perceived barriers. In total, 39% of participants used telemedicine and 42% performed one or more administrative actions. Phone consultations were the most common mode of communication with healthcare providers. The main barrier to using telemedicine was religious-ideological. Multiple logistic regression revealed that female sex, participants aged 30-44, married status, above-average income, frequent family physician visits, and internet use significantly associated with telemedicine use. Compared to <30, adults aged 60+ years use less telemedicine (OR 0.52, 95% CI 0.32-0.86). These findings indicate telemedicine use within the UO population, though substantial cultural barriers remain, and may assist policymakers in expanding its implementation.