Digital Health Inequities: Analysing Barriers to Access Across Demographic Groups in India

Abstract

The pandemic has led to a rapid adoption of technology and mobile apps in healthcare systems worldwide. From diagnostic to measures of tracking and containing pandemic infections, digital technologies rapidly became a part of the healthcare sector. This has globally given an impetus to digital healthcare systems involving the use of artificial intelligence to come to the fore. Given the impact technology has had on access to healthcare services during the outbreak of COVID-19, the article attempts to understand barriers faced by communities in accessing digital health services. The article maps digital health services from the lens of inclusivity, to assess whether technology has been able to bridge the health divide or whether the digital divide has pushed those at the margins of healthcare further away from it. The primary survey conducted as part of the study tries to understand the exclusions faced by the vulnerable groups.