Do community-based digital health inclusion programmes contribute to tackling health inequalities in disadvantaged population groups?

Background Advances in digital healthcare and health information provide benefits to the public. However, lack of digital skills together with access, confidence, trust and motivation issues present seemingly insurmountable barriers for many. Such digital health exclusion exacerbates existing health inequalities experienced by older people, people with less income, less education or who don’t have English as a first language. This study examines the role of a city-wide digital inclusion programme in the North of England, which works with Voluntary Sector Community Organisations (VCSOs) to provide digital support to disadvantaged communities (Digital Health Hubs). The aim was to explore if and how Digital Health Hubs contribute to tackling health inequalities, with a specific focus on impacts on service-users and how these impacts are produced.