An introduction to digital determinants of health.
In recent years, technology has been increasingly incorporated within healthcare for the provision of safe and efficient delivery of services. Although this can be attributed to the benefits that can be harnessed, digital technology has the potential to exacerbate and reinforce preexisting health di...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2024-01-01
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| Series: | PLOS Digital Health |
| Online Access: | https://journals.plos.org/digitalhealth/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pdig.0000346&type=printable |
| _version_ | 1797359911052509184 |
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| author | Swathikan Chidambaram Bhav Jain Urvish Jain Rogers Mwavu Rama Baru Beena Thomas Felix Greaves Shruti Jayakumar Pankaj Jain Marina Rojo Marina Ridao Battaglino John G Meara Viknesh Sounderajah Leo Anthony Celi Ara Darzi |
| author_facet | Swathikan Chidambaram Bhav Jain Urvish Jain Rogers Mwavu Rama Baru Beena Thomas Felix Greaves Shruti Jayakumar Pankaj Jain Marina Rojo Marina Ridao Battaglino John G Meara Viknesh Sounderajah Leo Anthony Celi Ara Darzi |
| author_sort | Swathikan Chidambaram |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In recent years, technology has been increasingly incorporated within healthcare for the provision of safe and efficient delivery of services. Although this can be attributed to the benefits that can be harnessed, digital technology has the potential to exacerbate and reinforce preexisting health disparities. Previous work has highlighted how sociodemographic, economic, and political factors affect individuals' interactions with digital health systems and are termed social determinants of health [SDOH]. But, there is a paucity of literature addressing how the intrinsic design, implementation, and use of technology interact with SDOH to influence health outcomes. Such interactions are termed digital determinants of health [DDOH]. This paper will, for the first time, propose a definition of DDOH and provide a conceptual model characterizing its influence on healthcare outcomes. Specifically, DDOH is implicit in the design of artificial intelligence systems, mobile phone applications, telemedicine, digital health literacy [DHL], and other forms of digital technology. A better appreciation of DDOH by the various stakeholders at the individual and societal levels can be channeled towards policies that are more digitally inclusive. In tandem with ongoing work to minimize the digital divide caused by existing SDOH, further work is necessary to recognize digital determinants as an important and distinct entity. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T15:30:37Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9186baca7b7a41f8af415320aaaa19f9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2767-3170 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T15:30:37Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLOS Digital Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-9186baca7b7a41f8af415320aaaa19f92024-01-10T05:31:06ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLOS Digital Health2767-31702024-01-0131e000034610.1371/journal.pdig.0000346An introduction to digital determinants of health.Swathikan ChidambaramBhav JainUrvish JainRogers MwavuRama BaruBeena ThomasFelix GreavesShruti JayakumarPankaj JainMarina RojoMarina Ridao BattaglinoJohn G MearaViknesh SounderajahLeo Anthony CeliAra DarziIn recent years, technology has been increasingly incorporated within healthcare for the provision of safe and efficient delivery of services. Although this can be attributed to the benefits that can be harnessed, digital technology has the potential to exacerbate and reinforce preexisting health disparities. Previous work has highlighted how sociodemographic, economic, and political factors affect individuals' interactions with digital health systems and are termed social determinants of health [SDOH]. But, there is a paucity of literature addressing how the intrinsic design, implementation, and use of technology interact with SDOH to influence health outcomes. Such interactions are termed digital determinants of health [DDOH]. This paper will, for the first time, propose a definition of DDOH and provide a conceptual model characterizing its influence on healthcare outcomes. Specifically, DDOH is implicit in the design of artificial intelligence systems, mobile phone applications, telemedicine, digital health literacy [DHL], and other forms of digital technology. A better appreciation of DDOH by the various stakeholders at the individual and societal levels can be channeled towards policies that are more digitally inclusive. In tandem with ongoing work to minimize the digital divide caused by existing SDOH, further work is necessary to recognize digital determinants as an important and distinct entity.https://journals.plos.org/digitalhealth/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pdig.0000346&type=printable |
| spellingShingle | Swathikan Chidambaram Bhav Jain Urvish Jain Rogers Mwavu Rama Baru Beena Thomas Felix Greaves Shruti Jayakumar Pankaj Jain Marina Rojo Marina Ridao Battaglino John G Meara Viknesh Sounderajah Leo Anthony Celi Ara Darzi An introduction to digital determinants of health. PLOS Digital Health |
| title | An introduction to digital determinants of health. |
| title_full | An introduction to digital determinants of health. |
| title_fullStr | An introduction to digital determinants of health. |
| title_full_unstemmed | An introduction to digital determinants of health. |
| title_short | An introduction to digital determinants of health. |
| title_sort | introduction to digital determinants of health |
| url | https://journals.plos.org/digitalhealth/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pdig.0000346&type=printable |
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