The impact of the digital divide on residents' healthcare consumption inequality: evidence from CFPS in China

Introduction: To explore the impact of the digital divide on residents' healthcare consumption inequality, reveal its underlying transmission mechanisms and heterogeneous effects, address the gap in existing literature that focuses on macro-level health inequality but neglects micro-level disparities, and provide theoretical support and actionable policy recommendations for reducing global healthcare consumption inequality amid digital transformation. Methods: Multi-wave data from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) were used as the analytical sample. The Kakwani index was utilized to measure both healthcare consumption inequality and the digital divide. A two-way fixed-effects model and a mediation model were applied to examine the impact of the digital divide on residents' healthcare consumption inequality. Results: < 0.01) after controlling for individual, household, and regional factors. (2) Income inequality and credit constraints serve as key mediating pathways, accounting for 48.37% and 43.99% of the total effect, respectively. (3) Heterogeneous effects are evident: the impact of the digital divide is weaker in rural regions and economically underdeveloped areas, but stronger among residents with low education levels and high-income households. Conclusion: Theoretically, this study extends health inequality research from the macro-level to the micro-level by linking the digital divide to healthcare consumption disparities, and validates the applicability of Keynesian consumption theory and the life-cycle hypothesis in the digital era. Furthermore, the findings align with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 3 and 10): targeted interventions can mitigate the adverse effects of the digital divide. For developing countries, this study offers a strategic framework to balance digital healthcare advancement with equity, preventing technological exclusion from exacerbating healthcare disparities.