Attitudes and Determinants Affecting Telehealth and Telemedicine Use in the MENA Region: A Narrative Review

Background/Objectives: Telehealth (TH) and Telemedicine (TM) can significantly benefit individuals who live far from healthcare institutions and those with limited financial resources by improving access to essential health services. This review explores the attitudes and determinants affecting the use of TH and TM, focusing on the MENA region with insights from the global context. Methods: A narrative review was created using a compilation of scientific articles published between 2020 and 2025 from PubMed and Scopus. Studies were screened to be relevant with the determinants, attitudes or use of TH and TM. Forty one sources met the eligibility criteria and covered evidence from the MENA region with supporting background from global developments. Results: In the MENA region, although high perceived effectiveness is recorded, the use of TH and TM remains below optimal levels. The majority of the studies reviewed suggested that participants have positive attitudes towards TH and TM. Nevertheless, some studies suggest low awareness and limited utilization of available TH and TM services. Determinants affecting TH and TM included pandemic-based, socioeconomic, cultural, financial, health literacy, and infrastructure-based factors, and those relating to physician implementation. Disparities in utilization of these services were evident among individuals with low digital literacy, older individuals and low-income workers. Conclusions: TH and TM are observed to increase the availability and accessibility of preventative and treatment-based health services, especially in regions facing geographic limitations. The findings exhibit the disparities in institution and uptake of these services due to socioeconomic, geographic and cultural aspects. Interventions at the system level, supported by evidence such as multilingual digital platforms, investments in digital infrastructure and coverage in insurance, need to be implemented to ensure equitable utilization of these services in the MENA region.