Affiliations: [a] Saveetha Medical College and Hospital, Chennai, India | [b] Foundation of Healthcare Technologies Society, New Delhi, India | [c] Center for Global Health and Development, College of Public Health, Omaha, NE, USA
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author: Ashish Joshi, Director Center for Program Informatics, Assistant Professor Center for Global Health and Development, College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 984355 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA. Tel.: +1 402 559 2327; E-mail: ashish.joshi@unmc.edu.
Abstract: The burden of lifestyle related chronic diseases have increased in recent times. The objective of this pilot study was to explore perceptions about using online lifestyle counseling services among individuals living in rural settings in India. A pilot convenient sample of 100 individuals living in rural settings of Chennai with age 18 years and above was enrolled for the study. Information was gathered about socio-demographic characteristics, health behavior, current disease status; familiarity with technology and perceptions about online lifestyle counseling. The average age of the individuals was 34 years (SD = 15). More than half of the individuals had access to computers at home and workplace. Individuals indentified various barriers for unable to obtain lifestyle counseling. Nearly 47% of the individuals were interested in obtaining online lifestyle counseling. There is an urgent need for evaluating the role of an online lifestyle counseling intervention among individuals living in rural settings.
