Bridging Digital Health Divides: A Community-Engaged Study of Technology Adoption Among Kentucky's Latino/Hispanic Communities (RPA Pilot / Seed Project)

Digital health technologies hold significant potential to improve health outcomes, yet their adoption remains critically low among Latinx communities, particularly in Kentucky, due to systemic barriers such as cultural misalignment, language accessibility, and socioeconomic challenges. This community-engaged study addresses a key gap in understanding how these intersecting factors impede the uptake of digital health tools—such as diabetes management apps and fitness technologies—within an underserved population. Guided by an intersectional framework integrating theories of Information Precarity, Design Justice, and Self-Determination, the study employs participatory methodologies to co-design culturally resonant solutions that prioritize health equity.  The project has three aims: (1) investigate cultural, linguistic, and socioeconomic influences on digital health tool adoption; (2) generate actionable insights for redesigning inclusive technologies through direct collaboration with Latinx communities; and (3) produce pilot data to support future grants advancing health equity. Leveraging established community partnerships, the approach includes two co-design workshops and one usability focus group (n=12 each), engaging participants in prototyping features such as low-tech health tracking, multilingual recipe libraries, and community-driven tech stewardship. Thematic analysis, guided by community interpretation, will identify barriers and co-create solutions that challenge individualistic design norms in favor of collective needs.  By centering Latinx voices as co-designers, this study shifts power dynamics in technology development, moving beyond superficial translations to address structural inequities. Expected outcomes include a roadmap for culturally responsive digital health tools and evidence supporting community-led innovation. Findings will inform scalable strategies to reduce disparities while fostering trust and accessibility, ultimately aligning digital health advancements with the priorities of marginalized populations. This work underscores the transformative potential of participatory research in bridging the digital divide and advancing health justice.