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Bridging Physiological Health Gaps through Data Equity and Digital Inclusion in Sub-Saharan Africa
Research Article - Volume: 1, Issue: 1, 2026 (September)
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Ibrahim Adamu1,2*

1Department of Human Physiology, Federal University of Lafia, Lafia, Nigeria
2School of Health Sciences, Spring Valley College of Health Sciences, Business and Technology, Zambia 

*Correspondence to: Ibrahim Adamu1,2, 1Department of Human Physiology, Federal University of Lafia, Lafia, Nigeria; 2School of Health Sciences, Spring Valley College of Health Sciences, Business and Technology, Zambia, E-mail:

Received: August 03, 2026; Manuscript No: JGPH-26-6577; Editor Assigned: August 06, 2026; PreQc No: JGPH-26-6577 (PQ); Reviewed: August 17, 2026; Revised: August 18, 2026; Manuscript No: JGPH-26-6577 (R); Published: September 21, 2026

ABSTRACT

Digital health technologies are reshaping primary healthcare delivery globally; however, their benefits are distributed inequitably with populations in Sub-Saharan Africa disproportionately excluded from digital health systems. This review examines how data inequity and digital exclusion translate into measurable physiological harm across cardiovascular, metabolic, respiratory, neuroendocrine, and maternal health domains, and evaluates evidence on interventions that address this gap. A systematic search of PubMed, HINARI, Scopus, and African Journals Online (AJOL) identified 57 peer-reviewed studies and health reports published between 2016 and 2026. Evidence consistently demonstrates that digitally excluded populations exhibit poorer physiological markers, including elevated blood pressure, deregulated cortisol, impaired glycemic control, and reduced pulmonary function, while communities with equitable digital health access experience measurably better primary care outcomes. The review advances a novel mechanistic framework linking digital exclusion to physiological harm through three pathways: diagnostic delay, treatment adherence attenuation, and chronic neuroendocrine stress loading. Targeted recommendations are offered for policymakers, healthcare providers, and academic institutions across Sub-Saharan Africa.

Keywords: Data Equity; Digital Inclusion; Human Physiology; Primary Healthcare; Sub-Saharan Africa; mhealth; Digital Divide; Physiological outcomes

Citation: Adamu I (2026). Bridging Physiological Health Gaps through Data Equity and Digital Inclusion in Sub-Saharan Africa. J. Glob. Pub Hea. Healthc. Innov. Vol.1 Iss.1, September (2026), pp:15-21.
Copyright: © 2026 Ibrahim Adamu. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.