A digital inclusion intervention to improve access to a digital health intervention among digitally excluded adults: a mixed methods pilot study (Preprint)

BACKGROUND The NHS 10 Year Health Plan emphasises an increasing shift toward digital healthcare delivery. However, there is limited research on how best to support, engage, and include individuals who are digitally excluded. As services become more digitally driven, there is need for evidence-based interventions that effectively address digital inclusion and ensure equitable access to care. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of providing digital literacy training alongside a digital health intervention (Ex-Tab), compared with usual care. The study used Kidney Beam (a digital health intervention designed to promote physical activity and improve quality of life in people living with chronic kidney disease (CKD)) as an exemplar digital health intervention (DHI). METHODS This mixed-methods, single-site pilot randomised controlled trial (RCT) recruited 40 adults with CKD who were digitally excluded, defined as lacking access to a Wi-Fi–enabled digital device or scoring