Technology-based Health Education Resources for Indigenous Adults: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Indigenous peoples experience a disparate burden of chronic diseases and lower access to health education resources compared with other populations. Technology can increase access to health education resources, potentially reducing health inequities in these vulnerable populations. Although many Indigenous communities have limited access to the Internet, this barrier is decreasing as tribes and Indigenous-serving organizations work to improve TechQuity. Using Arksey and O'Malley's framework, we conducted a scoping literature review to identify technology-based health education interventions designed for Indigenous adults. We searched multiple databases, limiting papers to those written in English, describing interventions for participants 18 years of age or older, and published between 1999-2020. The review yielded 229 articles, nine of which met eligibility criteria. Findings suggest a paucity of technology-based health education interventions designed for Indigenous peoples and limited testing of the existing resources. Future health disparity research should focus on development and rigorous testing of such interventions.

Development and Implementation of a Hybrid Online and In-Person Food Sovereignty and Nutrition Education Curriculum for Native American Parents: The FRESH Study

“…Prior research has found that online education programs can be effectively administered in the general population (Holt et al, 2019). More specifically, data show that online and technology-based interventions may lead to positive health outcomes in Indigenous communities (Stotz et al, 2021). For example, an intervention that included website interaction led to increased amounts of self-reported physical activity (Albright et al, 2014).…”