Framework for Digital Health Equity
This framework helps developers of digital health tools understand and address digital factors that can affect health equity. It looks at how digital access and use impact people at different levels—from individuals to society—and provides guidance to prevent worsening health disparities through digital health solutions.
At a glance
Use when
Designing or evaluating digital health tools where equitable access and outcomes are a priority; addressing disparities in digital health adoption across diverse populations
Avoid when
When digital equity is not a project priority; in contexts where only technical performance of a tool is being assessed
Inputs
Data on digital access, literacy, and usage patterns across populations; information on social determinants of health; characteristics of target user groups
Outputs
Guidance for equitable design and implementation of digital health tools; identification of equity risks and mitigation strategies
How it works
The Framework for Digital Health Equity integrates digital determinants of health (DDoH) into a multi-level model derived from established health disparities frameworks, adding a digital environment domain. It analyzes DDoH across individual, interpersonal, community, and societal levels, advocating for root cause analysis and systemic interventions. The framework is demonstrated via a pragmatic case study showing application in real-world digital health development contexts.
- HTA domains
- Organisational aspects, Patient and Social Aspects, Aspects Beyond HTA
- Assumptions
- Digital health interventions can unintentionally widen health disparities if equity is not proactively addressed; digital determinants interact with traditional social determinants of health
- Strengths
- Comprehensive, multi-level analysis of digital health equity; grounded in established health disparities theory; practical applicability across sectors (industry, academia, healthcare systems)
- Limitations
- Requires detailed contextual data for effective application; may be complex to implement in resource-limited settings; dependent on stakeholder commitment to equity
- Also known as
- Digital Health Equity Framework, DDoH Framework
Questions this answers
- › What digital factors influence health equity?
- › How do digital determinants of health operate across different social levels?
- › How can digital health tools be designed to reduce rather than exacerbate health disparities?
- › What role does the digital environment play in shaping health outcomes?
- › How can organizations apply a multi-level approach to address inequities in digital health?
- › What practical steps can creators take to embed equity in digital health innovation?
References & sources
Related methods
Similar by meaning
- Framework for Assessing Digital Health Technologies
- Framework for Assessment of the Use of FAIR Principles for Health Data in Digital Health Devices Regulation
- Data-driven FMEA approach for hazard identification and risk evaluation in digital health
- Checklist to guide equity considerations in HTA
- Evidence DEFINED
Beta record. Generated from the primary source via AI extraction and independent audit, pending final human review.