Digital Health Technology and Methods
Health equity research has been grappling with the rapid pace of digital transformations at the societal level, particularly regarding the uneven impacts upon equity deserving groups. The integration of digital platforms, systems and devices into public health systems, delivery and care, as seen throughout the pandemic for example, often reproduces and/or further entrenches existing health inequities (see WHO 2022) despite well documented issues of security, accessibility, communication and servicing. This research theme will focus on digital health technology and research methods, including communication capacities at individual, community, and population scale. Partnerships with equity deserving communities using participatory research methodologies, engagement and co-design strategies will be developed.
Aim and Approach
Particular aims are to examine: a) current and nascent practices of community health knowledge dissemination that garner community self-organization around health concerns and issues; b) the effectiveness of public health digital technologies as formalized population communication strategies; c) opportunities to devise and incorporate co-creation design principles into public health communication strategies, messaging and dissemination to affect sustainable, adaptable and accessible community health and wellbeing initiatives at scale and complexity; and, d) opportunities to utilize diverse digital means – AI, algorithms, ADM, VR and AR – to explore, examine and develop safe, responsive and contextual dependent health communication strategies to increase the quality of patient care across healthcare contexts, settings and locales (Emergency Room, ICU, Post-Operative Care, Community Based Rehabilitation, Homecare Delivery and Services, etc.).