Publication date: Jun 01, 2026
The COVID-19 pandemic catalyzed global digital health deployment while simultaneously magnifying structural inequities affecting marginalized communities, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Employing a descriptive bibliometric design, we examined 1250 peer-reviewed articles indexed in Scopus (2020-July 2025). Utilizing Biblioshiny and VOSviewer, this study delineates publication trajectories, collaborative networks, and principal domains of inquiry within digital health equity research. Analysis reveals an exponential surge in publications post-2020, with the United States, United Kingdom, China, and Australia as principal producers. Eight thematic clusters emerged, heavily skewed toward technological infrastructure over equity-centric research. Although international collaboration is expanding, the literature indicates that scholarship in LMICs remains highly dependent on international partnerships. This analysis highlights that the global knowledge base regarding digital health inequities remains heavily concentrated in well-resourced regions. To genuinely advance health equity research, future scholarly efforts must prioritize participatory, context-specific studies that elevate the visibility of underserved populations.
| Concepts | Keywords |
|---|---|
| Australia | COVID‐19 |
| China | digital divide |
| Global | digital health |
| Pandemic | global collaboration |
| marginalized populations | |
| telehealth |
Semantics
| Type | Source | Name |
|---|---|---|
| disease | MESH | COVID-19 pandemic |