JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the implementation of digital solutions in medical care, as an alternative for patients living in remote areas and patients needing regular medical care. Brazil, a large country occupying much of the South American continent, is plagued with economic inequality and uneven population distribution, leading to a digital divide.

Objective:

This article aims to establish the context of Brazilian internet access and the challenges and opportunities for digital health implementation.

Methods:

Analyzed data were retrieved from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics which examines three variables; namely: demographics, internet access, and patients who either need medical care or have some limitations in daily activities.

Results:

The Brazilian internet users comprise 84% of the total population, with 88% of the urban population and 57.3% of the rural population utilizing the internet. The most used device is the cellphone (99.5%), and the reasons for not using the internet span four categories: lack of interest, lack of knowledge, non-available internet, and internet use costs, with distinct distributions across Brazilian regions. In health parameters analysis, 62.1% of adults over 60 years with some limitations in daily activities and 59.1% of adults with diabetes-related restrictions have internet access.

Conclusions:

The Brazilian regions have different demographic distribution, house characteristics, and internet access prevalence, with distinct needs to improve internet access and enable fair and equitable digital healthcare implementation. In the Brazilian population, older adults and patients with limitations in daily activities are particularly vulnerable to the consequences of the digital divide. The unequal internet access needs to be addressed to reduce the inequalities in digital health solutions.