Bridging divides or deepening gaps? ICT, quality of life, and the challenge of inclusive development at the intersection of healthcare and human development in South Asia

Kód výsledku v IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F62690094%3A18450%2F25%3A50023132" target="_blank" >RIV/62690094:18450/25:50023132 - isvavai.cz</a>

Výsledek na webu

<a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-025-25210-w" target="_blank" >https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-025-25210-w</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-25210-w" target="_blank" >10.1186/s12889-025-25210-w</a>

Jazyk výsledku

angličtina

Název v původním jazyce

Bridging divides or deepening gaps? ICT, quality of life, and the challenge of inclusive development at the intersection of healthcare and human development in South Asia

Popis výsledku v původním jazyce

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic exposed critical gaps in healthcare infrastructure across developing countries, highlighting the need for scalable solutions to improve quality of life (QoL). This study investigates the asymmetric impact of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) on Healthcare Expenditure (HCE) and the Human Development Index (HDI) across seven South Asian countries, where under-resourced healthcare systems coexist with rapid digital adoption.MethodsWe use data from 2005 to 2023 and employ Fully Modified Ordinary Least Squares (FMOLS) and Dynamic Ordinary Least Squares (DOLS) techniques. ICT is measured through an aggregate index of mobile subscriptions, internet users and broadband connections.ResultsThe results reveal that: (1) ICT serves as a significant catalyst for aggregate Quality of Life, evidenced by positive effects on the HDI and HCE; (2) While ICT improves male human development (HDIM), its insignificant long run cointegration with female specific development (HDIF) confirms structural barriers persist despite aggregate progress in South Asia; (3) Moderation analysis highlights critical disparities, with ICT diffusion through male populations enhancing overall human development 7.5 percent more effectively than through female populations; (4) Urban contextualized ICT yields 7.3 percent stronger human development gains and 9.0 percent higher health expenditure impacts relative to rural diffusion; (5) Mediation analysis demonstrates that although ICT increases out of pocket health spending, these expenditures subsequently improve HDI; (6) ICT exhibits insignificant integration with maternal mortality, yet reduced maternal mortality independently elevates HDI.ConclusionsThese findings necessitate gender- and geography-responsive ICT strategies, spatially balanced ICT infrastructure investment, and health financing safeguards to align South Asia&apos;s technological transformation with sustainable development goals 3 and 5, ensuring digital dividends foster inclusive wellbeing.

Název v anglickém jazyce

Bridging divides or deepening gaps? ICT, quality of life, and the challenge of inclusive development at the intersection of healthcare and human development in South Asia

Popis výsledku anglicky

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic exposed critical gaps in healthcare infrastructure across developing countries, highlighting the need for scalable solutions to improve quality of life (QoL). This study investigates the asymmetric impact of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) on Healthcare Expenditure (HCE) and the Human Development Index (HDI) across seven South Asian countries, where under-resourced healthcare systems coexist with rapid digital adoption.MethodsWe use data from 2005 to 2023 and employ Fully Modified Ordinary Least Squares (FMOLS) and Dynamic Ordinary Least Squares (DOLS) techniques. ICT is measured through an aggregate index of mobile subscriptions, internet users and broadband connections.ResultsThe results reveal that: (1) ICT serves as a significant catalyst for aggregate Quality of Life, evidenced by positive effects on the HDI and HCE; (2) While ICT improves male human development (HDIM), its insignificant long run cointegration with female specific development (HDIF) confirms structural barriers persist despite aggregate progress in South Asia; (3) Moderation analysis highlights critical disparities, with ICT diffusion through male populations enhancing overall human development 7.5 percent more effectively than through female populations; (4) Urban contextualized ICT yields 7.3 percent stronger human development gains and 9.0 percent higher health expenditure impacts relative to rural diffusion; (5) Mediation analysis demonstrates that although ICT increases out of pocket health spending, these expenditures subsequently improve HDI; (6) ICT exhibits insignificant integration with maternal mortality, yet reduced maternal mortality independently elevates HDI.ConclusionsThese findings necessitate gender- and geography-responsive ICT strategies, spatially balanced ICT infrastructure investment, and health financing safeguards to align South Asia&apos;s technological transformation with sustainable development goals 3 and 5, ensuring digital dividends foster inclusive wellbeing.

Druh

J_imp - Článek v periodiku v databázi Web of Science

CEP obor

—

OECD FORD obor

10201 - Computer sciences, information science, bioinformathics (hardware development to be 2.2, social aspect to be 5.8)

Projekt

—

Návaznosti

I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace

Rok uplatnění

2025

Kód důvěrnosti údajů

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Název periodika

BMC Public Health

ISSN

1471-2458

e-ISSN

1471-2458

Svazek periodika

25

Číslo periodika v rámci svazku

1

Stát vydavatele periodika

GB - Spojené království Velké Británie a Severního Irska

Počet stran výsledku

22

Strana od-do

"Article Number: 4347"

Kód UT WoS článku

001651451400001

EID výsledku v databázi Scopus

2-s2.0-105026237835