Social Determinants of Health Digital inclusion should be regarded as a social determinant of health. According to Sharma & Patten (2022), living in areas with a limited internet connection or lacking electronic devices is associated with difficulties in receiving health care. Unequal access to broadband internet results in disparities in health outcomes. Electronic health records impact social determinants of health in a number of ways. For instance, information such as family health history can be stored online for easier access. This information can be used to predict some health conditions that are genetically transmitted. As a result, the electronic health family record facilitates provision of health services in an efficient manner. However, misinformation of family health records can have significant impacts and challenge interpretation of genetic information that would be useful in treatment processes (Benda et al., 2020). Since telemedicine involves using digital electronic devices to facilitate treatment for patients in remote areas, it is essential in reducing health inequalities in inaccessible geographical areas in an aim to establish fair share of healthcare services. However, some health conditions such as injuries or accidents may limit the extent of telemedicine owing to the nature of services required since physical attendance to the patients is required. Mobile health plays a vital role in engaging caregivers in health education to streamline their service delivery. Caregivers rely on mobile applications and websites to provide care for disabled people reducing the gap existing between different social classes (Kim et al., 2019). Despite helping address health disparities, mobile health has a few shortcomings. For example, Kim et al. (2019) determined that it is hard for illiterate caregivers to seek health information online. Some caregivers lack broadband internet challenging access to online health information that would help patients. Patient portals are essential for keeping personal health records. These digital services enable patients to contact their healthcare officers/caregivers easily via online platforms or book an appointment and schedule for treatments. This is critical in addressing barriers to healthcare access by promoting equitable access and provision of healthcare services. While some patients lack access to the basic technology necessary for learning and understanding digital health services, a significant healthcare inequality exists limiting the quality of well-being amongst a certain class of people (Bagchi, et al., 2022). References Bagchi, A. D., Damas, K., Salazar de Noguera, N., Melamed, B., Menifield, C., Baveja, A., Weber, P., & Swaminathan, S. (2022). Comfort With Telehealth Among Residents of an Underserved Urban Area. Journal of primary care & community health, 13, 21501319221119692. Benda, N. C., Veinot, T. C., Sieck, C. J., & Ancker, J. S. (2020). Broadband Internet Access Is a Social Determinant of Health! American journal of public health, 110(8), 1123– 1125. Kim, H., Mahmood, A., Goldsmith, J. V., Chang, H., Kedia, S., & Chang, C. F. (2019). Access to Broadband Internet and its Utilization for Health Information Seeking and Health Communication among Informal Caregivers in the United States. Journal of Medical Systems, 45(2), 24. Sharma, P. & Patten, A, C. (2022). A Need for Digitally Inclusive Health Care Service in the United States: Recommendations for Clinicians and Health Care Systems
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