RT Journal Article
T1 eHealth policy in Spain: A comparative study between general population and groups at risk of social exclusion in Spain
A1 Fernández Da Silva, Ángela
A1 Barral Buceta, Bran
A1 Mahou-Lago, Xosé María
K1 eHealth
K1 Telemedicine
K1 Digital divide
K1 Equity
K1 Social exclusion
K1 Health policies
AB Background: In recent years, the healthcare sector has experienced accelerated progress in terms of the inclusion of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in its procedures and formalities. However, public administrations have been unable to adapt to the peculiarities of the most vulnerable groups. This leads to marginalization of at-risk groups within the healthcare system and contributes to the widening of the so-called digital divide.Methods: Based on the analysis of the literature, three dimensions have been constructed to identify the level of inclusion of web portals: the perception of quality, the perception of usability, and the importance attributed to their content. In order to obtain data on each of these dimensions, a study was designed based on the user test methodology as a central element (identifying and evaluating 11 vulnerable groups) and, in parallel, a survey of the general population and heuristic tests.Results: A high percentage of vulnerable people at risk of social exclusion are not receiving adequate healthcare due to the digitalization of the system and the implementation of scarcely inclusive health web portals, which pose significant barriers in service provision for the 11 selected collectives. Meanwhile, the general population is being introduced to eHealth benefits, although the latter did not have high levels of digitization or a broad portfolio of services.Conclusions: The general population has a relatively positive perspective of eHealth services, but only a minority of them make intensive use of them, and they are not widespread in Spain as a whole. Meanwhile, the population at risk of exclusion lacks the skills and resources to make real use of eHealth, needing “digital intermediaries” from the social sphere to achieve results. eHealth policies are not taking into account people with higher levels of marginalization, aggravating their exclusion and the digital divide.
PB SAGE
YR 2022
FD 2022-08-01
LK http://hdl.handle.net/10347/32309
UL http://hdl.handle.net/10347/32309
LA eng
NO Fernández Da Silva, Á., Buceta, B. B., & Mahou-Lago, X. M. (2022). eHealth policy in Spain: A comparative study between general population and groups at risk of social exclusion in Spain. Digital health, 8, 20552076221120724. https://doi.org/10.1177/20552076221120724
NO The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This work was supported by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Programa Estatal de Investigación, Desarrollo e Innovación Orientada a los Retos de la Sociedad, Convocatoria 2014). This publication is part of the activities of the research project. “Digital divide and inhibitors in the implementation of e-Government. Special impact in the field of health” (CSO2014-53014-R) (2015-2018).
DS Minerva
RD 22 abr 2026