title: Knowledge and attitudes of doctors towards e-health use in healthcare delivery in government and private hospitals in Northern Uganda: a cross-sectional study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  E-health is an essential information sharing tool in healthcare management and delivery worldwide. However, utilization of e-health may only be possible if healthcare professionals have positive attitudes towards e-health. This study aimed to determine the relationships between healthcare professionals' attitudes towards e-health, level of ICT skills and e-Health use in healthcare delivery in government and private hospitals in northern Uganda.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional survey design was used. Sixty-eight medical doctors in three government hospitals and four private hospitals in Northern Uganda participated in the study. A pretested self-administered questionnaire was used to collect the required data. Data was analysed using SPSS software Version 19.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of the 68 respondents, 39 (57.4 %) reported access to computer and 29 (48.5 %) accessed Internet in the workplace. Majority of healthcare professionals had positive attitudes towards e-health attributes (mean 3.5). The level of skills was moderate (mean 3.66), and was the most important and significant predictor of ICT use among healthcare professionals (r = .522, p < .001); however, attitudes towards e-health attributes did not contribute significantly in predicting e-health use.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings suggest need for hospitals managements to strengthen e-health services in healthcare delivery in Northern Uganda.
authors.affiliation: Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Science Gulu University, P.O. Box 166, Gulu, Uganda.
authors.forename: Geoffrey Tabo
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Olok
authors.affiliation: Department of Library and Information Service, Faculty of Medicine Gulu University, P.O. Box 166, Gulu, Uganda. yagos.wo@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Walter Onen
authors.initials: WO
authors.lastname: Yagos
authors.affiliation: Department of Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine Gulu University, P.O.Box 166, Gulu, Uganda.
authors.forename: Emilio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ovuga
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006761:Hospitals; D016304:Hospitals, Private; D006779:Hospitals, Public; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010820:Physicians; D017216:Telemedicine; D014454:Uganda