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. 2020 Jan 14;8(1):e14512.
doi: 10.2196/14512.

Back to the Future: Achieving Health Equity Through Health Informatics and Digital Health

LaPrincess C Brewer #  1 , Karen L Fortuna #  2 , Clarence Jones #  3 , Robert Walker #  4 , Sharonne N Hayes #  1 , Christi A Patten #  5 , Lisa A Cooper #  6
Affiliations

Back to the Future: Achieving Health Equity Through Health Informatics and Digital Health

LaPrincess C Brewer et al. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth. .

Abstract

The rapid proliferation of health informatics and digital health innovations has revolutionized clinical and research practices. There is no doubt that these fields will continue to have accelerated growth and a substantial impact on population health. However, there are legitimate concerns about how these promising technological advances can lead to unintended consequences such as perpetuating health and health care disparities for underresourced populations. To mitigate this potential pitfall, it is imperative for the health informatics and digital health scientific communities to understand the challenges faced by disadvantaged groups, including racial and ethnic minorities, which hinder their achievement of ideal health. This paper presents illustrative exemplars as case studies of contextually tailored, sociotechnical mobile health interventions designed with community members to address health inequities using community-engaged research approaches. We strongly encourage researchers and innovators to integrate community engagement into the development of data-driven, modernized solutions for every sector of society to truly achieve health equity for all.

Keywords: community-based participatory research; digital health; eHealth; health equity; health informatics; mobile health.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of Interest: None declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Community members interacting with a community-based mobile health intervention, the FAITH! (Fostering African-American Improvement in Total Health) App. Researchers and African American churches partnered to codevelop the FAITH! App to promote cardiovascular health within faith communities. Used with permission from the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Screenshots of the co-designed FAITH! (Fostering African-American Improvement in Total Health) App home page and education module. Used with permission of the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Screenshot of the educational library in the co-designed PeerTECH (Peer- and Technology-Supported Self-Management Training) app.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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