Digital Health Equity

Digital physiotherapy can improve access by reducing geographic and travel barriers and supporting continuity of care. The digital divide refers to community-level disparities in access to and use of online technologies. For Indigenous communities, digital health equity depends on device access, internet connectivity, digital literacy, and culturally appropriate design. Geographic remoteness and socioeconomic inequality contribute to unequal access to digital devices, connectivity, literacy, and culturally appropriate design. Recommended mitigation strategies include assessing digital readiness, hybrid care, device subsidies, digital literacy support, accessible interfaces, and co-designed interventions. Digital technologies can worsen disparities if they ignore the digital divide. Digital physiotherapy may widen inequalities if barriers such as literacy, device access, language, or internet reliability are not addressed.