Digital Health Literacy In Forced Migrant Populations
Effectiveness Of Culturally Responsive Digital Health Interventions
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55981/panalungtik.2026.16655Keywords:
cultural adaptation, digital health literacy, forced migration, health equity, meta-analysisAbstract
Forced displacement has reached record levels, worsening inequities in healthcare access for refugees, asylum seekers, and internally displaced persons as health systems digitalize. We assessed whether culturally responsive digital health interventions improve outcomes and whether deeper cultural adaptation yields greater effects. We conducted a Systematic Literature and Network Analysis of Scopus (inception–January 2025). Two reviewers screened 1,847 records; 23 studies (11,044 participants, 22 countries) were included, with 17 contributing to random-effects meta-analysis. Interventions produced large gains in digital health literacy (SMD=0.78, 95% CI 0.65–0.91) and improvements in healthcare utilization (RR=1.67, 95% CI 1.34–2.08) and technology engagement (RR=2.23, 95% CI 1.89–2.63). Effects increased with cultural adaptation depth (minimal SMD=0.51; moderate 0.67; comprehensive 0.89; p=0.003). Keyword network analysis showed five clusters (modularity=0.42) and rising post-2020 integration, with digital health literacy and cultural adaptation most central. Culturally responsive design is a core mechanism for equitable digital health in migration settings.
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