A Digital Inclusion Intervention to Improve Access to a Digital Health Intervention Among Digitally Excluded Adults:...

Area of Science:

• Digital health interventions
• Health equity
• Chronic kidney disease management

Background:

• The NHS is shifting towards digital health care, necessitating strategies to include digitally excluded individuals.
• Limited research exists on supporting digital inclusion in health care, especially for those with long-term conditions.
• Equitable access to digital health services is crucial as they become more prevalent.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of combining digital literacy training with a digital health intervention (DHI).
• To compare this combined approach against providing a DHI alone.
• To use the Kidney Beam DHI for chronic kidney disease (CKD) as an exemplar.

Main Methods:

• A pilot randomized controlled trial involving 40 digitally excluded adults with CKD.
• Participants received either the Kidney Beam DHI with a loaned tablet and digital literacy training, or the DHI alone.
• Feasibility (recruitment, retention, adherence, safety) and acceptability were assessed, alongside patient-reported outcomes and qualitative interviews.

Main Results:

• All feasibility criteria were met, with 88% retention over 12 weeks.
• The intervention group (tablet + training) showed high acceptability and value, boosting confidence and engagement.
• Loaned devices were critical for overcoming access barriers, particularly for participants unable to afford their own.

Conclusions:

• Providing devices and digital literacy training alongside DHIs is feasible and acceptable for individuals with low digital literacy.
• Findings support further trials and offer insights for digital inclusion strategies in other long-term conditions.
• This approach can help ensure equitable access to digital health care for vulnerable populations.