Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39844090›Full record

ArticleBMC public health2025

Do community-based digital health inclusion programmes contribute to tackling health inequalities in disadvantaged population groups?: a qualitative study of experiences of a city-wide programme in the North of England.

Shoba Poduval, Lily Arnold, Emma Carta, Danielle Nimmons, Irene Stratton, Michael Shaw, Katherine Bradbury, Fiona Stevenson

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Article in BMC public health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
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  5. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Shoba PoduvalInstitute of Health Informatics, University College London, 222 Euston Road, London, NW1 2DA, UK.
Lily ArnoldResearch Department of Primary Care & Population Health, University College London, UCL Medical School (Royal Free Campus), Upper Third Floor, Rowland Hill Street, London, NW3 2PF, UK.
Emma CartaResearch Department of Primary Care & Population Health, University College London, UCL Medical School (Royal Free Campus), Upper Third Floor, Rowland Hill Street, London, NW3 2PF, UK.
Danielle NimmonsResearch Department of Primary Care & Population Health, University College London, UCL Medical School (Royal Free Campus), Upper Third Floor, Rowland Hill Street, London, NW3 2PF, UK. d.nimmons@ucl.ac.uk.
Irene StrattonPublic Contributor, Research Department of Primary Care & Population Health, University College London, UCL Medical School (Royal Free Campus), Upper Third Floor, Rowland Hill Street, London, NW3 2PF, UK.
Michael ShawPublic Contributor, Research Department of Primary Care & Population Health, University College London, UCL Medical School (Royal Free Campus), Upper Third Floor, Rowland Hill Street, London, NW3 2PF, UK.
Katherine BradburySchool of Psychology, School of Psychology, University of Southampton, Building 44, Highfield Campus, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK.
Fiona StevensonResearch Department of Primary Care & Population Health, University College London, UCL Medical School (Royal Free Campus), Upper Third Floor, Rowland Hill Street, London, NW3 2PF, UK.

Funding

NIHR School for Primary Care Research Project reference 676
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAdvances in digital healthcare and health information provide benefits to the public. However, lack of digital skills together with access, confidence, trust and motivation issues present seemingly insurmountable barriers for many. Such digital health exclusion exacerbates existing health inequalities experienced by older people, people with less income, less education or who don't have English as a first language. This study examines the role of a city-wide digital inclusion programme in the North of England, which works with Voluntary Sector Community Organisations (VCSOs) to provide digital support to disadvantaged communities (Digital Health Hubs). The aim was to explore if and how Digital Health Hubs contribute to tackling health inequalities, with a specific focus on impacts on service-users and how these impacts are produced.

methodsWe used qualitative semi-structured interviews to explore the experiences of service-users receiving digital support, and perspectives of staff working for organisations coordinating or providing digital support (n = 30).

resultsInductive thematic analysis was used to identify four major themes and mapped to 'Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research' constructs. These were: programme components, recipient-centred support, impacts on service-users and system-level barriers to digital health services. Findings suggest moderators of implementation are provision of community spaces, social activities and devices and Wi-fi, and recipient-centred support through community understanding, personalised regular support and trusting relationships. Impacts on service-users include improved social and emotional resilience and basic digital skills. Health system-level barriers to digital health services, such as inconsistency in service provision, were also identified.

conclusionsThemes highlight the importance of recipient-centred support by Voluntary and Community Sector Organisations (VCSOs) which centres the unique needs of specific communities. Our data provide policymakers with a model for implementation that could be replicated and scaled-up. Our data add to the public health, primary care and digital health research by proposing an initial programme theory for how Digital Health Hubs may reduce health inequalities, and recommendations for evaluation which consider short-, medium- and long-term outcomes, and contextual factors which are likely to be crucial to Digital Health Hubs' effectiveness.

Indexed as

Health Status DisparitiesVulnerable PopulationsDigital HealthEnglandFemaleHumansInterviews as TopicMaleQualitative ResearchCommunity servicessDigital healthHealth inequalitiesHealth policyHealth systemsPrimary carePublic health

Identifiers

PMID39844090
PMCPMC11756065

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.