Differences in mobile health app use: A source of new digital inequalities?
Open accessAbstract
This article provides a more differentiated understanding of mobile health consumers, and considers whether health app use may contribute to new digital inequalities. It focuses on factors associated with mobile health app use, and identifies which factors explain the use of different types of health apps. Data from a large representative sample of the Dutch population (N = 1,079) show that mobile health app users were generally younger, higher educated, and had higher levels of e-health literacy skills than non-users. Interestingly, different usage patterns were found for specific types of health apps. Theory and policy implications are discussed.
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Health literacy in the digital era may be considered a prerequisite for solving health problems in web-based environments.
“Third, as health literacy in the digital era may be considered a prerequisite for solving health problems in web-based environments [44], it requires people to better understand mobile health devices such as mobile health apps and how to obtain health information through the internet.”
From Inequities in Health Care Services Caused by the Adoption of Digital Health Technologies: Scoping Review (2022) · cites this paper as [44]
Health app usage has been associated with higher levels of education and less socioeconomic deprivation.
“Although smartphones are used by a large majority of the global population and have been suggested to constitute a potential solution to reach individuals with a low socioeconomic position with health messages, health app usage has been associated with higher levels of education and less socioeconomic deprivation [50–52].”
From Multidomain Dementia Risk Reduction in Primary Care is Feasible: A Proof-of-concept study (2024) · cites this paper as [50]
It is not entirely clear whether mHealth technologies may decrease or increase health inequalities.
“Therefore, it is not entirely clear whether mHealth technologies may decrease or increase health inequalities [50].”
From Multidomain Dementia Risk Reduction in Primary Care is Feasible: A Proof-of-concept study (2024) · cites this paper as [50]
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- Authors
- Bol, N., Helberger, N., & Weert, J. C. M.
- Affiliations
- University of Amsterdam (NL)
- Corresponding author
- Bol, Nadine
- Venue
- The Information Society
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2018-04-26
- Volume
- 34
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 183-193
- ISSN
- 0197-2243 (ISSN-L)
- 1087-6537
- OpenAlex
- W2802043004
- Cited by
- 350
- References
- 50
- Citations by year
- 2026: 23 · 2025: 51 · 2024: 47 · 2023: 59 · 2022: 70 · 2021: 49 · 2020: 30 · 2019: 18 · 2018: 3
- FWCI
- 38.34
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- The Information Society (publishedVersion)
- UvA-DARE (University of Amsterdam) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Funders
- Research Priority Area “Personalized Communication” of the University of Amsterdam
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Mobile Health and mHealth Applications
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Health Information Management › Health, Technology, Consumer Behavior
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Health Literacy and Information Accessibility
- Keywords
- mobile health apps, digital inequality, digital health literacy, health technology adoption, digital divide
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