JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Digital health is becoming ubiquitous, and we must ensure equity in access. Indigenous people across most high-income countries have not typically benefited as much as other citizens from usual healthcare systems and technologies. Despite Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people's clear interest in and enthusiastic use of new technologies, little research has examined the needs or interests of older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women.

Objective:

This study prioritised older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women's perspectives, tapping into their expertise associated with Indigenous ways of knowing, being and doing, and their unique position within their families and communities to design a model for using digital technologies to improve health for themselves, their families and communities.

Methods:

This qualitative co-designed research used yarning as a primary research tool. Co-design included citizen scientists from partner organisations shaping the protocol and collecting, analysing and interpreting data. Older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women from four partner organisations participated in group and individual yarns.

Results:

Our translational model highlights the conditions necessary for anyone to use digital health technologies, summarises the essential elements needed to promote equity in digital health, and illuminates the unmet needs and requirements for older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women to fully benefit from digital health technologies.

Conclusions:

Health is a fundamental right. As we move towards greater reliance on digital health solutions, we must recognise and address the needs of smaller populations that differ. While this may not always be commercially appealing, high-income countries have the means to be inclusive. We must urgently address the financial, connectivity and other limiting factors highlighted by women in this study that limit equitable access to digital health tools.