Access to and engagement with digital health interventions among children and young people: A systematic review (Preprint)

BACKGROUND Digital health interventions are increasingly used to deliver health related interventions for children and young people to improve health behaviours and health outcomes. Digital health interventions have the potential to improve children and young people’s access to health care, however they may also increase the divide between those who can access technology and are supported to engage and those who are not. This review included studies that reported on the access to and/or engagement with digital health interventions among children and young people. OBJECTIVE The aim of this review was to identify the report of indicators relating to access to and/or engagement with digital health interventions among children and young people. METHODS A systematic review following the Joanna Briggs Institute methods for conducing systematic reviews. RESULTS Twenty-five studies were included in the review. Eleven studies reported data related to access and these considered a broad range of demographic and social determinants. No study employed strategies to enhance or increase access. Engagement with interventions was measured in relation to frequency of engagement with no reference to the concept of effective engagement. Whilst the literature to date provides some insight into access and engagement there are a number of limitations. CONCLUSIONS The majority of digital health interventions do not consider the factors that can impact access and engagement. Of those studies which measure either access or engagement or both, few sought to implement strategies to improve access or engagement to address potential disparities between groups.