Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40010817›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2025

Healthcare professionals' attitudes towards digital health interventions and perspectives on digital health inequalities in cardiometabolic care: a qualitative study.

Mel Ramasawmy, David Sunkersing, Lydia Poole, Ann Blandford, Paramjit Gill, Kamlesh Khunti, Shivali Modha, Kiran Patel, Henry Potts, Madiha Sajid and 2 more

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Article in BMJ open, 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
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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

12 authors.

Mel RamasawmyInstitute of Health Informatics, University College London, London, London, UK m.ramasawmy@ucl.ac.uk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4864-8565
David SunkersingInstitute of Health Informatics, University College London, London, London, UK.
Lydia PooleUniversity of Surrey, Guildford, UK.
Ann BlandfordUCLIC, University College London, London, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3198-7122
Paramjit GillUniversity of Warwick Medical School, Coventry, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8756-6813
Kamlesh KhuntiDiabetes Research Centre, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK.
Shivali ModhaPatient and Public Involvement Representative, DISC Study, London, UK.
Kiran PatelUniversity of Warwick Medical School, Coventry, UK.
Henry PottsCentre for Health Informatics and Multiprofessional Education, UCL, London, UK.
Madiha SajidPatient and Public Involvement Representative, DISC Study, London, UK.
Nushrat KhanSchool of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK.
Amitava BanerjeeInstitute of Health Informatics, University College London, London, London, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8741-3411

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe ue of digital health interventions (DHIs) for the management of cardiometabolic diseases has increased but may exacerbate existing health inequalities. Healthcare professionals (HCPs) play a vital role in recommending and supporting healthcare users to use these tools. There is a need to understand the role of HCPs in managing the implementation of digital health in communities at risk of health inequalities.

objectiveTo explore the views of HCPs regarding digital health and its impact on health inequalities, focusing on cardiometabolic diseases and the South Asian population in the UK.

designWe conducted online semi-structured interviews and focus groups with HCPs. These explored HCPs' experiences and attitudes towards digital health, their perceptions of healthcare users' barriers and facilitators to use such tools, as well as digital inequalities among specific healthcare user groups, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their practice in relation to digital health. After informed consent, transcription and coding, a reflexive thematic approach was taken for analysis.

settingPrimary, community and secondary care provided for cardiometabolic disease in the UK.

participantsHCPs in general practice (n=3), cardiometabolic specialities (n=3), pharmacy (n=4) and other practices (n=8).

resultsHCPs recognised the potential benefits of DHIs to improve access and delivery of care and healthcare user outcomes but described several barriers to successful implementation. HCPs demonstrated a good understanding of the challenges their healthcare users face in relation to wider inequalities, barriers to health behaviours and healthcare access, and digital health. Of particular concern was the impact of increasing reliance on digital interventions in healthcare on the exclusion of some population groups. Participants recommended improvement of the design and implementation of DHIs offered to healthcare users through working with at-risk populations throughout the process. Finally, participants emphasised the importance of ensuring non-digital services remained available to ensure equitable access to health and social care.

conclusionsHCPs described the complexities of delivering care to underserved communities. DHIs were identified as a potential way to improve health outcomes for some, while over-reliance risked exacerbating inequalities. HCPs made recommendations related to design, implementation and engaging target populations and provided practical examples to address digital health inequalities, such as working with other sectors to take a community approach.

Indexed as

Attitude of Health PersonnelCardiovascular DiseasesHealthcare DisparitiesHealth PersonnelMetabolic DiseasesTelemedicineAdultCOVID-19Digital HealthFemaleFocus GroupsHumansInterviews as TopicMaleMiddle AgedQualitative ResearchCardiovascular DiseaseDIABETES & ENDOCRINOLOGYHealth EquityTelemedicine

Identifiers

PMID40010817
PMCPMC11865753

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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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.