{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,3]],"date-time":"2026-10-03T18:03:32Z","timestamp":1791050612155,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":48,"publisher":"JMIR Publications Inc.","content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["J Med Internet Res"],"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:sec sec-type=\"background\">\n                    <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Digital health interventions (DHIs), including telemedicine and AI-enabled health tools, are increasingly integrated into health care systems worldwide. While these technologies have the potential to improve access and efficiency, unequal access to resources and health capabilities may create disparities in their use. Evidence remains limited on how social and structural determinants shape population-level entry into DHI use in rapidly digitalizing health systems such as China.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec sec-type=\"objective\">\n                    <jats:title>Objective<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>This study aimed to examine social and structural determinants of broader DHI use among adults in China using the World Health Organization\u2019s (WHO) Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) framework.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec sec-type=\"methods\">\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>This cross-sectional study analyzed data from a national survey conducted in China in 2024 among adults aged 18 years or older. The primary outcome was self-reported ever use of DHIs, including telemedicine, digital health apps, and AI-enabled health tools. Explanatory variables were categorized into 5 SDoH domains: economic stability, education and health-related capabilities, health care access and quality, neighborhood and built environment, and social and community context. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate adjusted odds ratios (aORs) and 95% CIs. Adjusted predicted probabilities and subgroup analyses by age and region were conducted as supplementary analyses.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec sec-type=\"results\">\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Among 34,672 participants, 14,565 (42.0%) reported ever using a DHI. DHI use was higher among participants with greater socioeconomic resources and health-related capabilities, including higher income, higher educational attainment, and higher health and eHealth literacy (HL, eHL). For example, participants with a monthly income of 6001 CNY (approximately US $889) or higher had higher odds of DHI use than those with an income of 3000 CNY (approximately US $444) or less (aOR 1.370, 95% CI 1.285\u20101.462), and those with a bachelor\u2019s degree or above had higher odds than those with junior high school education or below (aOR 1.487, 95% CI 1.377\u20101.607). Health system engagement also showed substantial differences: participants unaware of family doctor services had lower odds of DHI use than those enrolled in such services (aOR 0.502, 95% CI 0.465\u20100.542). Difficulty paying medical expenses was associated with higher DHI use (aOR 1.314, 95% CI 1.221\u20101.414). Adjusted predicted probabilities showed meaningful absolute differences for education, income, HL, eHL, difficulty paying medical expenses, and family doctor service status, whereas the adjusted urban-rural difference was small.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec sec-type=\"conclusions\">\n                    <jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Broader self-reported DHI use in China is strongly associated with socioeconomic resources, health-related capabilities, and access to health care. Equitable digital health transformation requires more than technological expansion. Strategies to improve digital health equity should strengthen HL and eHL, integrate digital tools with accessible primary care and family doctor services, preserve nondigital support pathways, and incorporate equity-oriented design and governance as AI-enabled health tools become more widely implemented.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.2196\/94788","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,23]],"date-time":"2026-07-23T20:55:05Z","timestamp":1784840105000},"page":"e94788-e94788","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Social Determinants of Digital Health Intervention Use in China: National Cross-Sectional Study"],"prefix":"10.2196","volume":"28","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7109-1163","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Huohuo","family":"Dai","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9607-313X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Yibo","family":"Wu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9489-7925","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Anke","family":"Versluis","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0002-0892-5780","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Yiling","family":"Li","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8607-9199","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Niels","family":"Chavannes","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4023-6814","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jiska","family":"Aardoom","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1010","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,21]]},"reference":[{"key":"R1","unstructured":"Global strategy on digital health 2020-2025. World Health Organization (WHO); 2021. URL: https:\/\/iris.who.int\/server\/api\/core\/bitstreams\/1f4d4a08-b20d-4c36-9148-a59429ac3477\/content [Accessed 01-08-2026]"},{"issue":"1","key":"R2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41746-025-01618-x","article-title":"Global Initiative on AI for Health (GI-AI4H): strategic priorities advancing governance across the United Nations","volume":"8","author":"Muralidharan","journal-title":"NPJ Digit Med"},{"key":"R3","unstructured":"Classification of digital interventions, services and applications in health: a shared language to describe the uses of digital technology for health. World Health Organization; 2023. URL: https:\/\/iris.who.int\/server\/api\/core\/bitstreams\/bb20354e-ebee-44aa-8a58-7b1da85c6f95\/content [Accessed 01-08-2026]"},{"issue":"2","key":"R4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1001\/jamanetworkopen.2023.56070","article-title":"Digital health interventions for hypertension management in US populations experiencing health disparities: a systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"7","author":"Katz","journal-title":"JAMA Netw Open"},{"issue":"1","key":"R5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3","DOI":"10.1038\/s41746-024-01382-4","article-title":"Cost-effectiveness of AI for pediatric diabetic eye exams from a health system perspective","volume":"8","author":"Ahmed","journal-title":"NPJ Digit Med"},{"issue":"6","key":"R6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e431","DOI":"10.1016\/S2666-7568(24)00068-0","article-title":"Prevention of dementia using mobile phone applications (PRODEMOS): a multinational, randomised, controlled effectiveness-implementation trial","volume":"5","author":"Moll van Charante","journal-title":"Lancet Healthy Longev"},{"issue":"1","key":"R7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"255","DOI":"10.1038\/s41746-025-01601-6","article-title":"Acceptability and feasibility of research grade wearables for monitoring heat stress in Kenyan farmers","volume":"8","author":"Kwaro","journal-title":"NPJ Digit Med"},{"issue":"18","key":"R8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1795","DOI":"10.1001\/jama.2021.18459","article-title":"Focusing on digital health equity","volume":"326","author":"Lyles","journal-title":"JAMA"},{"issue":"1","key":"R9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"119","DOI":"10.1038\/s41746-022-00663-0","article-title":"A framework for digital health equity","volume":"5","author":"Richardson","journal-title":"NPJ Digit Med"},{"issue":"12","key":"R10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1875","DOI":"10.1016\/j.mayocp.2023.05.003","article-title":"Health disparities, clinical trials, and the digital divide","volume":"98","author":"Adedinsewo","journal-title":"Mayo Clin Proc"},{"issue":"4","key":"R11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1001\/jamanetworkopen.2025.5359","article-title":"Disparities in digital health care use in 2022","volume":"8","author":"Wakeman","journal-title":"JAMA Netw Open"},{"issue":"3","key":"R12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1001\/jamanetworkopen.2024.3354","article-title":"Patient characteristics and telemedicine use in the US, 2022","volume":"7","author":"Chang","journal-title":"JAMA Netw Open"},{"issue":"9","key":"R13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2196\/jmir.7786","article-title":"The digital divide and health disparities in China: evidence from a national survey and policy implications","volume":"19","author":"Hong","journal-title":"J Med Internet Res"},{"issue":"1","key":"R14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"217","DOI":"10.1038\/s41746-024-01201-w","article-title":"Closing the gap: addressing telehealth disparities across specialties in the sustained pandemic era","volume":"7","author":"Amagai","journal-title":"NPJ Digit Med"},{"key":"R15","unstructured":"World report on social determinants of health equity. World Health Organization; 2025. URL: https:\/\/www.who.int\/teams\/social-determinants-of-health\/equity-and-health\/world-report-on-social-determinants-of-health-equity [Accessed 01-08-2026]"},{"issue":"1","key":"R16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"9","DOI":"10.3969\/j.issn.1673-6036.2025.01.002","article-title":"Analysis of core policies of smart healthcare in China and insights from international experiences","volume":"46","author":"Han","journal-title":"J Med Inform"},{"key":"R17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.healthpol.2024.105122","article-title":"Digital health technologies and inequalities: a scoping review of potential impacts and policy recommendations","volume":"146","author":"Badr","journal-title":"Health Policy"},{"key":"R18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2196\/60546","article-title":"Disparities in internet medical service utilization among patients in post\u2013COVID-19 China: cross-sectional study of data from provincial field and national online surveys","volume":"27","author":"Sun","journal-title":"J Med Internet Res"},{"key":"R19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2196\/62645","article-title":"The association between the digital divide and health inequalities among older adults in China: nationally representative cross-sectional survey","volume":"27","author":"Wu","journal-title":"J Med Internet Res"},{"key":"R20","unstructured":"Social determinants of health. World Health Organization (WHO). URL: https:\/\/www.who.int\/health-topics\/social-determinants-of-health [Accessed 24-12-2025]"},{"issue":"4","key":"R21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e235","DOI":"10.1016\/S2589-7500(24)00022-0","article-title":"Social determinants of health: the need for data science methods and capacity","volume":"6","author":"Chunara","journal-title":"Lancet Digit Health"},{"key":"R22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Fan S Li Y Dong F et al. Study protocol: a national cross-sectional study on psychology and behaviour investigation of Chinese residents in 2024, PBICR. medRxiv. Preprint posted online on Jan 17, 2025. [doi: 10.1101\/2025.01.14.25320520]","DOI":"10.1101\/2025.01.14.25320520"},{"issue":"7624","key":"R23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"806","DOI":"10.1136\/bmj.39335.541782.AD","article-title":"Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) statement: guidelines for reporting observational studies","volume":"335","author":"von Elm","journal-title":"BMJ"},{"issue":"23","key":"R24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2931","DOI":"10.12114\/j.issn.1007-9572.2023.0072","article-title":"Development of a short version of the health literacy scale based on classical test theory and item response theory","volume":"27","author":"Sun","journal-title":"Chin Gen Pract"},{"issue":"1","key":"R25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/1471-2458-13-948","article-title":"Measuring health literacy in populations: illuminating the design and development process of the European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire (HLS-EU-Q)","volume":"13","author":"S\u00f8rensen","journal-title":"BMC Public Health"},{"issue":"4","key":"R26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2196\/jmir.8.4.e27","article-title":"eHEALS: the eHealth literacy scale","volume":"8","author":"Norman","journal-title":"J Med Internet Res"},{"issue":"1","key":"R27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s12889-025-21399-y","article-title":"Development of a short version of the perceived social support scale: based on classical test theory and ant colony optimization","volume":"25","author":"Wu","journal-title":"BMC Public Health"},{"issue":"1","key":"R28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"30","DOI":"10.1207\/s15327752jpa5201_2","article-title":"The multidimensional scale of perceived social support","volume":"52","author":"Zimet","journal-title":"J Pers Assess"},{"issue":"3","key":"R29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"671","DOI":"10.2307\/2532003","volume":"43","author":"Clayton","journal-title":"Biometrics"},{"key":"R30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2196\/90759","article-title":"Toward retrieval-grounded evaluation for conversational large language model\u2013based risk assessment","volume":"5","author":"Hu","journal-title":"JMIR AI"},{"key":"R31","unstructured":"Gao L Sherwood J Aleisa N et al. Human-centered AI agents for healthcare and education: a systematic literature review. Presented at: Artificial Intelligence in HCI: 6th International Conference, AI-HCI 2025; Jun 22-27, 2025; Gothenburg, Sweden. URL: https:\/\/faculty.cs.gwu.edu\/xiaodongqu\/papers\/HCII_2025_5774_AI_Agent.pdf [Accessed 01-08-2026]"},{"key":"R32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Chen L . Beyond external constraints: the missing dimension of AI governance. SSRN. Preprint posted online on Mar 21, 2026. [doi: 10.2139\/ssrn.6449738]","DOI":"10.2139\/ssrn.6449738"},{"key":"R33","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2196\/52124","article-title":"Prevalence and disparities in telehealth use among US adults following the COVID-19 pandemic: national cross-sectional survey","volume":"26","author":"Spaulding","journal-title":"J Med Internet Res"},{"key":"R34","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2147\/PPA.S495318","article-title":"Assessing health disparities in digital services and technologies during and after the COVID-19 pandemic: a pooled cross-sectional analysis using HINTS data","volume":"19","author":"Shih","journal-title":"Patient Prefer Adherence"},{"key":"R35","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2196\/60472","article-title":"Patient factors associated with the use of online portal health information in the postpandemic era: cross-sectional analysis of a national survey","volume":"27","author":"Maini","journal-title":"J Med Internet Res"},{"key":"R36","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2196\/48461","article-title":"Guide development for eHealth interventions targeting people with a low socioeconomic position: participatory design approach","volume":"25","author":"Faber","journal-title":"J Med Internet Res"},{"key":"R37","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2196\/65380","article-title":"Low prevalence of adequate eHealth literacy and willingness to use telemedicine among older adults: cross-sectional study from a middle-income country","volume":"27","author":"Sainimnuan","journal-title":"J Med Internet Res"},{"key":"R38","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.gerinurse.2024.02.002","article-title":"The mediating effect of eHealth literacy on the relationship between health personality and quality of life in community-dwelling older adults","volume":"56","author":"Dai","journal-title":"Geriatr Nurs"},{"issue":"1","key":"R39","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s12889-025-21389-0","article-title":"eHealth literacy in the general population: a cross-sectional study in China","volume":"25","author":"Sun","journal-title":"BMC Public Health"},{"issue":"9","key":"R40","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/geront\/gnae079","article-title":"Examining first- and second-level digital divide at the intersection of race\/ethnicity, gender, and socioeconomic status: an analysis of the National Health and Aging Trends Study","volume":"64","author":"Wang","journal-title":"Gerontologist"},{"issue":"1","key":"R41","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"6697562","DOI":"10.1155\/hsc\/6697562","article-title":"Does contracting with a family doctor affect the medical expenditures of residents in China?","volume":"2025","author":"Song","journal-title":"Health Soc Care Commun"},{"key":"R42","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.socscimed.2019.02.025","article-title":"Historical roots of hospital centrism in China (1835-1949): a path dependence analysis","volume":"226","author":"Xu","journal-title":"Soc Sci Med"},{"issue":"1","key":"R43","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/inr.70168","article-title":"Historical roots of hospital nursing centrism in China (1835\u2013present): a path dependence analysis","volume":"73","author":"Li","journal-title":"Int Nurs Rev"},{"issue":"4","key":"R44","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"179","DOI":"10.1080\/13814788.2019.1658190","article-title":"SERIES: eHealth in primary care. Part 1: concepts, conditions and challenges","volume":"25","author":"van der Kleij","journal-title":"Eur J Gen Pract"},{"issue":"11","key":"R45","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1624","DOI":"10.1089\/tmj.2022.0412","article-title":"Socioeconomic determinants of remote patient monitoring implementation among rural and urban hospitals","volume":"29","author":"Najarian","journal-title":"Telemed J E Health"},{"issue":"6","key":"R46","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2196\/26242","article-title":"Neighborhood broadband and use of telehealth among older adults: cross-sectional study of national survey data linked with census data","volume":"23","author":"Okoye","journal-title":"J Med Internet Res"},{"issue":"1","key":"R47","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41746-025-01931-5","article-title":"Digital divides in telehealth accessibility for cancer care in the United States","volume":"8","author":"Liu","journal-title":"NPJ Digit Med"},{"issue":"1","key":"R48","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1001\/jamahealthforum.2025.6031","article-title":"Ten core concepts for ensuring data equity in public health","volume":"7","author":"Wang","journal-title":"JAMA Health Forum"}],"container-title":["Journal of Medical Internet Research"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,25]],"date-time":"2026-08-25T05:52:14Z","timestamp":1787637134000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.jmir.org\/2026\/1\/e94788"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,21]]},"references-count":48,"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.2196\/94788","relation":{},"ISSN":["1438-8871"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1438-8871","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,21]]},"article-number":"v28i1e94788"}}