A new editorial in Health Promotion International, authored by Louise Holly, Soe Yu Naing, Hannah Pitt, Samantha Thomas and Ilona Kickbusch, explores the rapid adoption of the digital determinants of health concept and its implications for health promotion. The authors emphasize the evolving role of digital environments in shaping health outcomes and the urgent need for health promotion efforts to keep pace with these changes.
The editorial highlights a key challenge: while digital technologies offer powerful tools for improving health equity and access to information, they also pose risks—such as misinformation, data privacy concerns and digital exclusion. Health promoters must strike a delicate balance between mitigating these harms and ensuring that all individuals, particularly young people, can leverage digital tools to advocate for their health and well-being.
The editorial forms part of Health Promotion International’s special issue on the Digital Determinants of Health, which DTH-Lab helped lead. The issue calls for policies and strategies that promote digital inclusion, safeguard against harm and ensure that digital transformation benefits all communities equitably.
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Ilona Kickbusch is the Director of the DTH-Lab. She is a visiting professor at the University of Geneva, the founding director, chair and senior distinguished fellow of the Global Health Centre at the Geneva Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies. She is known throughout the world for her expertise and is a sought after senior adviser and key note speaker. Her areas of expertise include the determinants of health, health in all policies, and global health governance. She advises countries on their global health strategies, trains health specialists, and is involved in German G7 and G20 health activities. She publishes widely and serves on various commissions and boards. She has been awarded the Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (Bundesverdienstkreuz) in recognition of her invaluable contributions to innovation in governance for global health and global health diplomacy. She has also been awarded the WHO Medal in recognition of her contribution to global health.
