Rural digital social innovation for health and social care: A systematic review

Eric Ping Hung Li, Trina Kushnerik, Cherisse L. Seaton, Kathy L. Rush, Puneet Aulakh, Mike Zajko, Khalad Hasan, Rajeev Manhas, Vida Nyagre Yakong, Robert Janke · 2025 · SSM - Health Systems

Summary. This systematic review of 25 studies examines how digital technology enables social innovation in rural health and social care. Healthcare innovations typically address geographical distance between providers and patients through collaborative processes, while community initiatives tackle local challenges through grassroots efforts. Most innovations showed positive outcomes on health service use and community health. Digital tools expanded innovation scope and reach, but success required substantial human investment and genuine rural community engagement alongside technology.

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Li, E. P. H., Kushnerik, T., Seaton, C. L., Rush, K. L., Aulakh, P., Zajko, M., Hasan, K., Manhas, R., Yakong, V. N., & Janke, R.. (2025). Rural digital social innovation for health and social care: A systematic review. SSM - Health Systems. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmhs.2025.100143

@article{li-2025-rural-digital-social-innovation-health,
  title   = {Rural digital social innovation for health and social care: A systematic review},
  author  = {Eric Ping Hung Li and Trina Kushnerik and Cherisse L. Seaton and Kathy L. Rush and Puneet Aulakh and Mike Zajko and Khalad Hasan and Rajeev Manhas and Vida Nyagre Yakong and Robert Janke},
  journal = {SSM - Health Systems},
  year    = {2025},
  doi     = {10.1016/j.ssmhs.2025.100143},
  url     = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmhs.2025.100143}
}

TY  - JOUR
TI  - Rural digital social innovation for health and social care: A systematic review
AU  - Eric Ping Hung Li
AU  - Trina Kushnerik
AU  - Cherisse L. Seaton
AU  - Kathy L. Rush
AU  - Puneet Aulakh
AU  - Mike Zajko
AU  - Khalad Hasan
AU  - Rajeev Manhas
AU  - Vida Nyagre Yakong
AU  - Robert Janke
JO  - SSM - Health Systems
PY  - 2025
DO  - 10.1016/j.ssmhs.2025.100143
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmhs.2025.100143
ER  -

Details

DOI: 10.1016/j.ssmhs.2025.100143
Countries: Canada, India, Ghana, United Kingdom
Regions: North America, Asia, Africa, Europe
Categories: broadband-and-digital, rural-healthcare, innovation-networks
Added: 2026-04-28