The Multifaceted Impact of Culture on Health Technology Use

We live in an increasingly multicultural society. Our different backgrounds and cultures influence how we as individuals approach the use of technology. These differences can include factors such as language barriers, access to technology, and varying attitudes toward healthcare and data privacy. Health technologies are increasingly scaled across communities, countries and globally; making it all the more important to ensure that digital health solutions are effective and equitable for all and design and implement them in a way that takes these cultural differences into account. In this article, I explore some of the ways in which cultural differences can impact technology use in healthcare, and what we must do to promote health equity through technology design and implementation.

Firstly, health technology is not used in a vacuum. How we use technology is influenced by our attitudes to our health and our healthcare providers, which in turn can impact attitudes to healthcare technology. For example, some cultural groups may be more likely to seek traditional forms of medical care or may have an inherent mistrust of Western medicine, particularly communities that have been subjected to bias and racial discrimination, which could affect their willingness to adopt digital health technologies.

Language barriers can pose significant obstacle to accessing, understanding, and using healthcare technology. Individuals whose language isn't English may struggle to find digital health resources that are available in their language, have challenges understanding more complex health information or have difficulty navigating interfaces that are not designed for non-English speakers. Research has identified cultural differences in attitudes toward privacy and data security, which can affect willingness to use digital health technologies, a reticence over sharing of sensitive personal information and concerns over how and with whom their data is shared.

The cultural differences run deeper into the fabric of our cultural make up and our social influences. Here are some examples. In Asian cultures, a greater emphasis is placed on group harmony and social connections which influences how individuals approach technology use, with more importance on communication and social networking rather than individual achievement or self-promotion.

In Middle Eastern and Latin American cultures, communication tends to be indirect and relies heavily on nonverbal cues and context and therefore in technology, a greater emphasis on visual and interactive media rather than text-based communication favoured by more western cultures.

More 'masculine' cultures, such as many Western cultures, value assertiveness and competition, which in turn will place greater emphasis on individual achievement and productivity. In contrast, feminine cultures, such as many Scandinavian cultures, tend to value cooperation and social welfare, and will consequently value collaboration and communities.

Cultures such as many Latin American and Asian cultures, where there is a greater acceptance of hierarchical social structures and authority figures, individuals will have a preference for technologies that are perceived as legitimate or sanctioned by those with authority, and therefore regulation and compliance will be really important here.

Research carried out comparing the differences in the factors that influence use of health wearables between Chinese and Swiss users found that the testimonials and support by physicians, evidence of measurement accuracy, and easy handling of wearables made them more likely to be accepted in Switzerland. Conversely the opinions of in-group members, involvement of employers, and multifunctional apps providing credible health care advice and solutions in cooperation with health care institutions increased acceptance among the Chinese.

As we can see, cultural differences are complex and multifaceted and run far deeper than surface factors such as the language we speak (though that's important). Our preferences and attitudes towards technology use will be shaped based on the context within which we were raised and live, together with other factors such as age, gender, and socioeconomic status.

With all this complexity, where do we start to shape a technology that can meet everyone's needs? We need to better understand who will use the technology we design, their cultural influences and their needs. Conducting user research with diverse groups to identify cultural barriers to technology adoption and usage, as well as opportunities to better tailor digital health solutions to meet the needs of specific cultural groups.

We need to design for accessibility, considering social and cultural norms in communication design, including considerations such as preferred modes of communication, use culturally appropriate visual and interactive media and content and make use of culturally relevant patient testimonials.

Collaborating with community organizations and patient advocates seeking their input will ensure that digital health solutions are developed and implemented in a way that is culturally competent, acceptable, and sensitive to the needs of diverse populations, which will aid acceptance and use.

Cultural differences have a significant impact on how individuals approach and use healthcare technology. To ensure that digital health solutions are effective and equitable, it's important to design and implement them in a way that takes these differences into account. In doing so, we can promote health equity and better meet the needs of our diverse world.

"If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart". Nelson Mandela