Digital Health Paradox: International Policy Perspectives to Address Increased Health Inequalities for People Living With Disabilities

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the uptake of digital health worldwide and highlighted many benefits of these innovations. However, it also stressed the magnitude of inequalities regarding accessing digital health. Using a scoping review, this article explores the potential benefits of digital technologies for the global population, with particular reference to people living with disabilities, using the autism community as a case study. We ultimately explore policies in Sweden, Australia, Canada, Estonia, the United Kingdom, and the United States to learn how policies can lay an inclusive foundation for digital health systems. We conclude that digital health ecosystems should be designed with health equity at the forefront to avoid deepening existing health inequalities. We call for a more sophisticated understanding of digital health literacy to better assess the readiness to adopt digital health innovations. Finally, people living with disabilities should be positioned at the center of digital health policy and innovations to ensure they are not left behind.

Automated summary

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption of digital health worldwide, revealing both the benefits and inequalities in accessing these innovations. This article uses the autism community as a case study to explore the potential benefits of digital technologies for the global population. Additionally, policies in various countries are examined to understand how they can promote inclusive digital health systems. The study concludes that digital health ecosystems should prioritize health equity and calls for a better understanding of digital health literacy.