Advancing Cardiovascular Health Equity Globally Through Digital Technologies.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Digital Health
• Global Health Equity

Background:

• Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are a leading cause of global mortality and disability.
• Digital health technologies offer crucial interventions for managing cardiovascular disease burden.
• Significant global cardiovascular health inequities and a digital health divide persist.

Purpose of the Study:

• To emphasize the critical need for translating digital health innovations from research into low-resource settings.
• To advance global cardiovascular health equity by addressing disparities.
• To explore considerations for successful cross-setting digital innovation translation.

Main Methods:

• Discussion of current global cardiovascular health inequities and the digital health divide.
• Introduction of 'reciprocal innovation' as a framework for bidirectional exchange.
• Highlighting examples of American Heart Association funded projects adapted for lower-resource settings.

Main Results:

• Digital innovations require careful translation to be effective in diverse global settings.
• Reciprocal innovation facilitates a mutual exchange of ideas and resources between high-income and low- and middle-income countries.
• Bidirectional learning between local and global institutions is essential for sustainable impact.

Conclusions:

• Translating digital health innovations is vital for achieving global cardiovascular health equity.
• Reciprocal innovation offers a model for equitable knowledge and resource sharing.
• Further adaptation and implementation of digital health solutions in low-resource settings are needed.