Will an uptake in digital health services have implications on inequalities? (Digital Health, 10 August 2021)

Summary

The use of digital health services has risen over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. The digital divide and the resulting impact on people’s experiences of the pandemic have disproportionately affected certain groups of society. 

Age UK analysis suggested that only 24% of those aged 75+ were using the internet more during the pandemic, and 9% were using it less. And although the population has become better connected since the start of the pandemic, still 6% of homes (around 1.5 million households) in the UK lack home internet access. People in the poorest households are four times more likely to not use the internet at home than those in the wealthiest households.

Disability, impairment, and health conditions also correlate with lower levels of digital access and use.

In this article, Emma Stone, Director of design, research and communications at the Good Things Foundation, discusses the implications of digital health services on inequalities.