On 29 January, a webinar will be organized by WHO/Europe to explore the role of digital determinants of health and their implications for health systems and policymaking. This is the 9th webinar in the series on “Decoding Data and Digital Health” which addresses several important themes for countries in the WHO European Region in the area of digital health.
The digital transformation of society
Digital determinants of health refer to any factor rooted in or dependent on the digital world, which can directly or indirectly influence health or well-being. As technology becomes more and more an integral part of our daily lives, digital determinants of health can change existing relationships between social, political or commercial determinants and health, or create new ways to influence on the health of individuals or populations.
In a joint study by WHO/Europe and the London School of Economics, internet access, availability of digital devices and digital literacy were listed as priority digital determinants of health. This study, available both in the form of a scientific article and a WHO report, offers an analysis of the determinants of health in the digital age, and highlights the complex influence of digitalization on health outcomes.
Among the 127 health determinants that have emerged or changed in the digital age, other key factors include moderation of harmful online content, data accuracy and algorithmic transparency, and policies on disinformation and false information. Such diversity of health determinants in a digital context highlights the need for a comprehensive approach to digital health governance.
The webinar
This one-hour event will bring together international experts to raise awareness, identify issues and discuss the transformative role of digital determinants in health systems, as well as their potential capacity to close or worsen health disparities. health. Participants will be able to take part in a question-and-answer session and learn about digital inclusion of various demographic groups, as well as proposed interventions and policy recommendations. By highlighting the complex role of digital determinants of health, this webinar aims to foster better understanding and encourage action to address inequalities and ensure ethical use of digital health technologies. Ensuring that all populations, particularly vulnerable groups, have equitable access to digital health tools is a key priority of the “Regional Action Plan for Digital Health in the WHO European Region 2023–2030” and the “WHO Global Strategy on Digital Health 2020-2025”.
This event is organized in English and Russian. It is open to the public, including digital health developers, health and care workers, policy makers, researchers and representatives of advocacy groups. If you would like to participate, please register via the link.
The Decoding Data and Digital Health webinar series is supported by the European Commission (Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety) under the action “Helping Member States in the European Region of “WHO to strengthen health information systems and promote health data governance”.
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