The Digital Divide in Healthcare: Exploring Inequalities and Solutions

A special issue of Healthcare (ISSN 2227-9032). This special issue belongs to the section "TeleHealth and Digital Healthcare".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2026 | Viewed by 1198

Special Issue Editor

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The digital divide in healthcare has become a pressing issue in today’s increasingly technologically driven world. As advancements in technology continue to revolutionize the way healthcare services are delivered, accessed, and managed, disparities in the access and utilization of these digital tools have become more pronounced. This Special Issue, titled “The Digital divide in healthcare: exploring inequalities and solutions”, aims at delving into the complexities of this phenomenon, examining the root causes of disparities in technology access, digital literacy, and healthcare outcomes, while also proposing innovative solutions to bridge the gap and promote equity in healthcare delivery.

The digital divide in healthcare is multifaceted, encompassing a range of factors that contribute to disparities in access to technology and healthcare services. Socioeconomic status, geographic location, age, education level, and cultural background are just a few of the variables that can influence an individual’s ability to access and effectively utilize digital health tools. These disparities can have far-reaching implications on health outcomes, exacerbating existing inequalities in healthcare access and quality of care.

Through this Special Issue, we aim at exploring the various dimensions of the digital divide in healthcare, shedding light on the challenges faced by marginalized populations and underserved communities. We welcome contributions that examine the impact of the digital divide on healthcare disparities, including its effects on health outcomes, patient engagement, and healthcare delivery. Additionally, we invite authors to propose novel strategies and interventions that can help bridge the gap and promote equitable access to digital health technologies.

Potential topics of interest for this Special Issue include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • The role of technology access in healthcare disparities;
  • The role of digital literacy in healthcare disparities;
  • Disparities in telemedicine utilization and its implications for healthcare access;
  • The impact of the digital divide on healthcare outcomes;
  • The impact of the digital divide on quality of care;
  • Innovative solutions for addressing the digital divide in healthcare;
  • Policy implications for reducing inequalities in technology access and healthcare delivery.

We look forward to receiving your submissions on this critical issue.

Dr. Weike Zhang
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Healthcare is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • digital divide
  • healthcare disparities
  • healthcare inequalities
  • healthcare outcomes
  • technology access
  • healthcare delivery
  • digital literacy

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

18 pages, 302 KiB  
Article
How Does the Basic Urban–Rural Medical Insurance Affect Resident Health Inequality? Evidence from China
by Xiaohong Pu, Riyun Hou, Sichang He and Weike Zhang
Healthcare 2025, 13(12), 1455; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13121455 - 17 Jun 2025
Viewed by 262
Abstract
Background: Health inequality is seen as a challenge for implementing the Healthy China Strategy. This study analyzes the income-related health inequality among urban–rural resident basic medical insurance (URRBMI) participants. Methods: This study utilized data from the 2019 China Household Finance Survey (CHFS), and [...] Read more.
Background: Health inequality is seen as a challenge for implementing the Healthy China Strategy. This study analyzes the income-related health inequality among urban–rural resident basic medical insurance (URRBMI) participants. Methods: This study utilized data from the 2019 China Household Finance Survey (CHFS), and the concentration index (CI) was employed to estimate the effects of income-related health inequality on participants. Results: Our findings provide clear evidence that health inequality among participants has fluctuated—narrowing, widening, and then narrowing again—in the areas of the contribution, medical treatment, and reimbursement of URRBMI, respectively. Overall, the analysis indicates a widening of health inequality post-reimbursement, with results remaining consistent. A heterogeneity analysis shows that health inequality is most pronounced among women and those with less than a middle school education. Finally, our study reveals a pro-rich trend in the actual utilization of medical services among participants, with persistent disparities in outpatient and inpatient service usage even after standardization, further exacerbating income-related health inequality. Conclusions: We recommend that the URRBMI design take participants’ income levels into account, with policies favoring disadvantaged individuals to enhance their medical security, improve access to healthcare services, and ultimately reduce health inequality. Full article
29 pages, 1030 KiB  
Article
Driving Online Healthcare Growth Amid the Digital Divide: How Trust in Professional Signals from Doctor Biographies Shapes Patient Decisions
by Hongyang Wang, Jian Jin, Li Li, Jiaqi Liu and Da Wang
Healthcare 2025, 13(12), 1418; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13121418 - 13 Jun 2025
Viewed by 324
Abstract
Objectives: Online healthcare offers an effective solution to reduce regional disparities in medical access. However, building patient trust in a virtual environment, particularly amid digital divide challenges, remains critical for the sustainable development of healthcare platforms. This study investigates how doctors’ professional experience, [...] Read more.
Objectives: Online healthcare offers an effective solution to reduce regional disparities in medical access. However, building patient trust in a virtual environment, particularly amid digital divide challenges, remains critical for the sustainable development of healthcare platforms. This study investigates how doctors’ professional experience, communicated through online biographies, influences patient consultation decisions, aiming to uncover strategies that enhance trust and facilitate efficient doctor–patient matching. Methods: Drawing on trust theory and social distance theory, we develop an empirical model incorporating professional signals, follower community engagement, and sentiment intensity. Using text data and topic modeling from a leading online health platform, we analyze the impact of these factors on patient consultation behavior. Results: The findings demonstrate that professional experience significantly increases consultation purchases, partially mediated by active follower communities. Additionally, positive emotional expressions in biographies reduce perceived social distance, thereby strengthening trust and willingness to consult. These results highlight the combined effectiveness of professional signals and emotional cues in fostering patient trust. Conclusions: Strategically designed doctor profiles, integrating professional and emotional elements, can bridge the digital divide in online healthcare by enhancing trust and improving doctor-patient matching. This study advances the understanding of how online biographical narratives shape trust and decision-making, offering novel insights into the interplay of doctor-generated content, trust, and social distance. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop