"People are struggling in this area:" a qualitative study of women's perspectives of telehealth in rural South Carolina

Rural communities face disparities and barriers to health care access that may be addressed through telehealth programs; yet little research is available detailing rural women's attitudes toward telehealth. Researchers partnered with a women's reproductive health organization to conduct formative audience research to understand rural women's perspectives of telehealth in their communities. Qualitative research was conducted to improve understandings of women's perceptions of telehealth in rural South Carolina. In-depth interviews with 52 women aged 18-44 years were conducted in five rural counties in South Carolina during June - August 2015. Analytical techniques from grounded theory methodology were used throughout data collection and analysis. Participants believed a telehealth intervention would benefit the community by addressing reproductive health barriers, such as cost, transportation, and long wait times at local health care facilities. Participants' concerns included issues of confidentiality in a small town, discomfort with mediated communication, privacy, and the importance of relationship-centered care, including patient-provider communication and approachability of health care providers. Findings provide insight to design and implement telehealth interventions to improve women's health in rural communities.