E-lifestyles and their impact on medical teleconsultation

Jorge Arenas Gaitán (), Patricio E. Ramírez Correa (), P. Ledesma Chaves () and Luis J. Callarisa Fiol ()

Revista Galega de Economía, 2026, vol. 35, issue 2, 1-31

Abstract: The integration of digital services is increasingly relevant for healthcare sustainability, although user acceptance remains uneven. This study examines the influence of internet related lifestyles on the use of medical teleconsultation. Based on a survey of 1,412 Spanish teleconsultation users, an exploratory factor analysis identified multiple dimensions of e lifestyles, including interests, social use, perceived importance, barriers, novelty, and different types of needs. Subsequently, a latent class analysis revealed eight distinct user profiles, considering socio demographic characteristics and available resources. The findings indicate that users can be grouped into pro Internet, neutral and anti Internet profiles, each displaying different behavioural patterns in teleconsultation adoption and use. These results highlight that, in contexts with high internet penetration, teleconsultation usage is closely associated with users’ digital lifestyles rather than solely with socio demographic factors. Overall, the study provides a more nuanced understanding of behavioural heterogeneity in digital health adoption.

Keywords: E-lifestyle; Teleconsultation; Spain; Users’ segment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I10 I18 M31 O33 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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