Telemedicine adoption in Hungary: insights from two representative population surveys (2021–2024)

Despite increased interest, data on telemedicine adoption and patterns of use remain scarce. This study aims to fill this gap by analysing sociodemographic trends in telemedicine use in Hungary between 2021 and 2024. Two nationwide representative surveys were conducted in Hungary: a Computer Assisted Telephone Interview (CATI) with 1,500 participants in October 2021 and an online survey with 1,100 participants in February 2024. Both samples were stratified by gender, age, settlement type, and education. A Telemedicine Index, encompassing (a) online appointment booking and referral requests (b) video or phone teleconsultations (c) email communication with the doctor (d) sharing images with the doctor (e) sharing medical documentation with the doctor and (f) allowing the doctor to monitor changes in health status via smartphone was constructed. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, ANOVA, and multinomial logistic regression to assess sociodemographic factors associated with telemedicine use. Telemedicine adoption increased between 2021 and 2024. The Telemedicine Index rose from Mean = 1.025 to Mean = 1.702. The proportion of non-users dropped from 43.5% to 21.0%. While initial disparities in 2021 showed women, younger individuals, higher educated people and urban residents using telemedicine more, these gaps narrowed significantly by 2024. Family support, indicated by living with a partner, positively influenced telemedicine adoption in both periods, emphasizing its role in facilitating use, especially among older adults and those with children. Analysis confirmed that education, age, gender, and family status are significantly associated with telemedicine use. Telemedicine has become increasingly integrated into Hungarian healthcare, with a shift from pandemic-driven necessity to broader societal adoption. While sociodemographic disparities persist, they have largely narrowed. The crucial role of social and family support in facilitating telemedicine use, particularly for vulnerable groups, highlights a key area for future interventions.