The Digital Determinants of Health Framework
Digital Determinants of Health Framework. Developed by the Digital Determinants of Health Hub, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (2025).
The Digital Determinants of Health Framework builds on the Social Determinants of Health model developed by Dahlgren and Whitehead, , extending it to the digital age. It recognises that digital environments are increasingly important determinants of health and that they are shaped by interactions between wider social, commercial and political determinants of health. Together, these interconnected systems influence how digital technologies are designed, governed and experienced, ultimately shaping health, wellbeing and health inequalities.
The ways individuals experience and interact with digital environments, including content consumption, communication, emotional responses, digital literacy, help-seeking, coping strategies and time spent across digital platforms.
Individual Digital Experiences
Peer networks, online communities, social norms, visibility economies, conflict escalation, community reinforcement mechanisms and the amplification of behaviours through sharing, recommendations and social influence.
Interpersonal & Community Contexts
Platform & Digital Systems
Platform architecture, recommendation algorithms, artificial intelligence, interface design, moderation systems, data practices and commercial platform features that influence what information is presented, amplified, suppressed or recommended within digital environments.
Social, Commercial & Governance Systems
The wider social, commercial and political systems that shape digital environments, including business models, commercial incentives, regulation, legislation, platform governance, digital inclusion policies and international governance frameworks.
Why This Framework Matters
Digital environments cannot be understood by focusing solely on individual behaviour. They are shaped by interconnected social, commercial, political and technological systems that influence digital experiences and their impacts on health. This framework supports systems-informed research, evaluation and policy by recognising these interactions and identifying opportunities to create healthier, safer and more equitable digital environments.