Localisation of digital health tools used by displaced populations in low and middle-income settings: a scoping review and critical analysis of the Participation Revolution
Abstract Background Forced displacement is a crucial determinant of poor health. With 31 people displaced every minute worldwide, this is an important global issue. Addressing this, the Participation Revolution workstream from the World Humanitarian Summit’s Localisation commitments has gained tract...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2023-04-01
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| Series: | Conflict and Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13031-023-00518-9 |
| _version_ | 1797845949945479168 |
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| author | Jennifer Benson Tilman Brand Lara Christianson Meret Lakeberg |
| author_facet | Jennifer Benson Tilman Brand Lara Christianson Meret Lakeberg |
| author_sort | Jennifer Benson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Forced displacement is a crucial determinant of poor health. With 31 people displaced every minute worldwide, this is an important global issue. Addressing this, the Participation Revolution workstream from the World Humanitarian Summit’s Localisation commitments has gained traction in attempting to improve the effectiveness of humanitarian aid. Simultaneously, digital health initiatives have become increasingly ubiquitous tools in crises to deliver humanitarian assistance and address health burdens. Objective This scoping review explores how the localisation agenda’s commitment to participation has been adopted within digital health interventions used by displaced people in low-and-middle-income countries. Methods This review adopted the Arksey and O’Malley approach and searched five academic databases and three online literature repositories with a Population, Concept and Context inclusion criteria. Data were synthesised and analysed through a critical power lens from the perspective of displaced people in low-and-middle-income-countries. Results 27 papers demonstrated that a heterogeneous group of health issues were addressed through various digital health initiatives, principally through the use of mobile phones. The focus of the literature lay largely within technical connectivity and feasibility assessments, leaving a gap in understanding potential health implications. The varied conceptualisation of the localisation phenomenon has implications for the future of participatory humanitarian action: Authorship of reviewed literature primarily descended from high-income countries exposing global power dynamics leading the narrative. However, power was not a central theme in the literature: Whilst authors acknowledged the benefit of local involvement, participatory activities were largely limited to informing content adaptations and functional modifications within pre-determined projects and objectives. Conclusion With over 100 million people displaced globally, effective initiatives that meaningfully address health needs without perpetuating harmful inequalities are an essential contribution to the humanitarian arena. The gap in health outcomes evidence, the limited constructions of health, and the varying and nuanced digital divide factors are all indicators of unequal power in the digital health sphere. More needs to be done to address these gaps meaningfully, and more meaningful participation could be a crucial undertaking to achieve this. Registration The study protocol was registered before the study (10.17605/OSF.IO/9D25R) at https://osf.io/9d25r . |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T17:47:12Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7c92689eff444be1bb751ad1c74f7446 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1752-1505 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T17:47:12Z |
| publishDate | 2023-04-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Conflict and Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-7c92689eff444be1bb751ad1c74f74462023-04-16T11:16:05ZengBMCConflict and Health1752-15052023-04-0117111910.1186/s13031-023-00518-9Localisation of digital health tools used by displaced populations in low and middle-income settings: a scoping review and critical analysis of the Participation RevolutionJennifer Benson0Tilman Brand1Lara Christianson2Meret Lakeberg3Faculty of Human and Health Sciences, Public Health, The University of BremenDepartment Prevention and Evaluation, Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology – BIPSDepartment Prevention and Evaluation, Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology – BIPSFaculty of Human and Health Sciences, Public Health, The University of BremenAbstract Background Forced displacement is a crucial determinant of poor health. With 31 people displaced every minute worldwide, this is an important global issue. Addressing this, the Participation Revolution workstream from the World Humanitarian Summit’s Localisation commitments has gained traction in attempting to improve the effectiveness of humanitarian aid. Simultaneously, digital health initiatives have become increasingly ubiquitous tools in crises to deliver humanitarian assistance and address health burdens. Objective This scoping review explores how the localisation agenda’s commitment to participation has been adopted within digital health interventions used by displaced people in low-and-middle-income countries. Methods This review adopted the Arksey and O’Malley approach and searched five academic databases and three online literature repositories with a Population, Concept and Context inclusion criteria. Data were synthesised and analysed through a critical power lens from the perspective of displaced people in low-and-middle-income-countries. Results 27 papers demonstrated that a heterogeneous group of health issues were addressed through various digital health initiatives, principally through the use of mobile phones. The focus of the literature lay largely within technical connectivity and feasibility assessments, leaving a gap in understanding potential health implications. The varied conceptualisation of the localisation phenomenon has implications for the future of participatory humanitarian action: Authorship of reviewed literature primarily descended from high-income countries exposing global power dynamics leading the narrative. However, power was not a central theme in the literature: Whilst authors acknowledged the benefit of local involvement, participatory activities were largely limited to informing content adaptations and functional modifications within pre-determined projects and objectives. Conclusion With over 100 million people displaced globally, effective initiatives that meaningfully address health needs without perpetuating harmful inequalities are an essential contribution to the humanitarian arena. The gap in health outcomes evidence, the limited constructions of health, and the varying and nuanced digital divide factors are all indicators of unequal power in the digital health sphere. More needs to be done to address these gaps meaningfully, and more meaningful participation could be a crucial undertaking to achieve this. Registration The study protocol was registered before the study (10.17605/OSF.IO/9D25R) at https://osf.io/9d25r .https://doi.org/10.1186/s13031-023-00518-9HumanitarianLocalisationParticipation Digital healthDisplaced populationsDigital divideHealth inequities |
| spellingShingle | Jennifer Benson Tilman Brand Lara Christianson Meret Lakeberg Localisation of digital health tools used by displaced populations in low and middle-income settings: a scoping review and critical analysis of the Participation Revolution Conflict and Health Humanitarian Localisation Participation Digital health Displaced populations Digital divide Health inequities |
| title | Localisation of digital health tools used by displaced populations in low and middle-income settings: a scoping review and critical analysis of the Participation Revolution |
| title_full | Localisation of digital health tools used by displaced populations in low and middle-income settings: a scoping review and critical analysis of the Participation Revolution |
| title_fullStr | Localisation of digital health tools used by displaced populations in low and middle-income settings: a scoping review and critical analysis of the Participation Revolution |
| title_full_unstemmed | Localisation of digital health tools used by displaced populations in low and middle-income settings: a scoping review and critical analysis of the Participation Revolution |
| title_short | Localisation of digital health tools used by displaced populations in low and middle-income settings: a scoping review and critical analysis of the Participation Revolution |
| title_sort | localisation of digital health tools used by displaced populations in low and middle income settings a scoping review and critical analysis of the participation revolution |
| topic | Humanitarian Localisation Participation Digital health Displaced populations Digital divide Health inequities |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13031-023-00518-9 |
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