Summary:
«Based on the ever-growing amount of quality data on the subject, two trends are present. In some cases, in some countries, in some, traditionally underrepresented groups of developed societies, digital health tools are indeed closing some gaps by providing opportunities for leapfrogging. One great example is how Ghana has overcome lacking infrastructure by using drones for various tasks, like delivering vaccines or blood. Another one is how women of colour in the US show a consistently growing adoption rate of digital health tools. Researchers believe this might be a response to worse than average health outcomes they experience in the traditional healthcare system.»
«We can train members of communities, who will be able (and willing) to pass over the knowledge to their peers. If I have learned how to use the online scheduling system, I will be able to show it to my husband. If I know that there is an app for managing diabetes and know how to use it, I can explain it to my neighbour who has the condition. If I was educated about how smartwatches can be used to monitor cardiac parameters, I can teach my coworker with blood pressure problems why he might want to buy one and what to look for when using it.»
«There are some interesting initiatives along these lines. NHS launched a program to train digital health mentors, although this aims at healthcare professionals at the moment. This study shows real-world positive results of peer-to-peer mentoring for diabetes patients.»
Article written by The Medical Futurist
14|06|2022
Source:
The Medical Futurist
https://medicalfuturist.com/will-digital-health-widen-or-close-the-health-inequity-gap/