Mental health and telehealth quality perception: a mediation model analysis

Telehealth services have emerged as a revolutionary approach to healthcare delivery. However, patients' perception of telemedicine is influenced by multifactorial factors, among which the relationship between mental health and telemedicine remains largely underexplored. Drawing from the Health Information National Trends Survey 6 (HINTS 6) data, this study seeks to shed light on this intricate relationship, especially examining the mediating effects of confidence in health management while considering the privacy concerns, technical challenges, and perception of isolation using the Hayes PROCESS macro model. We found that individuals with mental health challenges frequently feel isolated, face telehealth technical issues, and have heightened privacy concerns. These challenges influence their self-confidence in managing health, directly affecting telehealth service perception. Interestingly, while mental health and feelings of isolation are closely tied, isolation doesn't directly impede telehealth quality perceptions. Instead, its impact is seen through its association with self-care confidence, emphasizing the need for holistic strategies in telehealth implementations that address both technical and psychological factors.