Sociodemographic and Socioeconomic Determinants for the Usage of Digital Patient Portals in Hospitals: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on the Digital Divide.

Background: Digital patient portals (PPs) are platforms that enhance patient engagement and promote active involvement in health care by providing remote access to personal health data. Although many hospitals are legally required to offer these portals, adoption varies widely among patients, often influenced by sociodemographic and socioeconomic determinants. Evidence suggests that higher income, education, employment status, and specific age groups correlate with increased portal usage, highlighting a digital divide.

Roger's diffusion of innovations theory and the adoption of a patient portal's digital anamnesis collection tool: study protocol for the MAiBest project.

Background: German hospitals are legally obliged to implement digital patient portals within the next years. Systematic reviews show that the use of patient portals may be associated with improved patient-centeredness and workflows. However, mandatory digital healthcare innovations are sometimes not used by the target group as planned or even completely rejected.