Telemedicine Programmes and Access to Healthcare Services Among Rural Senegalese Women Farmers: An African Perspective

Telemedicine has emerged as a promising solution to improve healthcare access in rural areas, particularly for underserved populations such as women farmers who face geographical and economic barriers. A mixed-methods approach was employed, involving both quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews with participants to gather comprehensive data on telemedicine programme usage and user experiences. The survey results indicated that approximately 75% of respondents reported an increase in healthcare service utilization through telemedicine compared to pre-programme baseline levels. Patient satisfaction scores averaged above 80%, highlighting the positive impact on patient well-being. Telemedicine programmes have significantly enhanced access to essential healthcare services for rural Senegalese women farmers, demonstrating a tangible benefit that can inform future public health initiatives in similar contexts. Further expansion of telemedicine infrastructure and training programmes is recommended to ensure equitable service delivery across diverse geographic regions. Additionally, ongoing evaluation and refinement of the programme are crucial to maintaining its effectiveness. Treatment effect was estimated with $\text{logit}(p_i)=\beta_0+\beta^\top X_i$, and uncertainty reported using confidence-interval based inference.