ABSTRACT Background and Aims Yemen's healthcare system is severely weakened by prolonged conflict, limited resources, and workforce shortages, resulting in poor health outcomes. Telemedicine may offer solutions for emergency care provision in such fragile systems, yet its feasibility and adoption in Yemen remain unclear. This study aimed to assess the feasibility of telemedicine for emergency healthcare among digitally connected individuals in Yemen and to identify key barriers and predictors of adoption. Methods A cross‐sectional survey targeted adults aged 18–80 years with internet access across Yemen, conducted from November 2024 to December 2024. A self‐administered, piloted questionnaire delivered via KoboToolbox collected data on demographics, telemedicine awareness and use, and perceived barriers. Main outcomes were telemedicine awareness, utilization for emergency care, and reported barriers. Descriptive statistics summarized participant characteristics and key measures; logistic regression identified predictors of telemedicine adoption. Results Among 263 respondents (mean age 33.8 years, SD 10.5; 71.1% male), 59.3% reported frequent digital device use and 57.4% had reliable internet. Only 21.3% were aware of telemedicine. Emergency telemedicine use was reported by 18.3%, mainly for pain management (62.5%) and pediatric emergencies (25.0%), while use for stroke, cardiac, trauma, and obstetric emergencies was less common. Adoption was higher among healthcare workers (45.7% vs. 20.9%; OR = 2.14, 95% CI: 1.27–3.61) and those with reliable internet (26.5% vs. 18.3%; OR = 1.85, 95% CI: 1.05–3.24). Major barriers included poor connectivity (73.0%), limited trust or awareness (49.0%), insufficient staff training (43.7%), and weak infrastructure (42.2%). Conclusion Telemedicine is underutilized for emergency care among Yemen's digitally connected population, mainly due to infrastructure, digital literacy, and trust barriers. Addressing these gaps through improved connectivity, provider training, local guidelines, and policy development is essential to advance emergency telemedicine in fragile health systems.
Naser et al. (Wed,) studied this question.