The use of digital health by South Asian communities: a scoping review

Background: South Asian individuals experience a higher burden of chronic diseases and limited access to healthcare services compared with their Caucasian peers. Digital health interventions are suggested to enhance the delivery of healthcare, minimise health inequities and consequently improve health status among minority ethnic groups. However, it is unclear how South Asian people view and perceive the use of digital health technologies to support their health needs.

Objective: To identify South Asian individuals’ experiences and attitudes of digital health, and explore the barriers and facilitators affecting their use of digital health services.
Methods: Five electronic databases were examined for pertinent papers, which were augmented by searching bibliographies of the retrieved articles and grey literature. 1,328 potentially relevant papers were retrieved from the initial search, and the supplemental search added seven articles to the potential final list of included articles. Each paper of the initial inclusion list was independently reviewed, leaving 15 papers to be included in the review.

Results: Data were analysed thematically leading to the development of two overarching themes: 1) Barriers to uptake of digital health; 2) Facilitators for use of digital health services. There was a general consensus that South Asian communities still struggle with an inadequate access to digital health technologies. Some studies suggest multiple initiatives to improve accessibility and acceptability of digital health services within South Asian communities in order to mitigate health disparities and develop a more inclusive healthcare system. These include the development of multiple-language and culturally sensitive interventions and digital skill development sessions. Most studies were conducted in South Asian countries, focusing on measurable outcomes of digital health interventions. Few explored the experiences and views of South Asian community members as a minority ethnic group residing in the West, e.g., British South Asians.

Conclusions: Literature mapping proposes that South Asian people frequently struggle with a healthcare system that may limit their access to digital health services, and at times, fails to consider social and cultural needs. There is growing evidence that digital health interventions have the potential to improve minority ethnic groups’ access to healthcare services to support individual health needs, and consequently enhance health status.