Tackling health and social inequalities in data-driven systems

Project background

The COVID-19 pandemic, and the wider governmental and societal response, have brought health inequalities into sharp focus.

Data-driven technologies and the systems within which they operate have  increasingly become a central part of the health infrastructure – a trend accelerated by the pandemic. Tools, such as symptom tracking and digital contact tracing apps, are being mobilised at pace and their use during the pandemic may well become the norm for the future.

However, little is known about the long-term impact of data-driven approaches. There is a risk that they are exacerbating health inequalities, but also there is great potential for them to shed light on, and address inequalities when designed well.

Project overview

In partnership with the Health Foundation, we have explored how the accelerated adoption of data-driven technologies and systems during the pandemic may have affected inequalities. Our report, A knotted pipeline, describes the interaction between these technologies and health outcomes and outlines some of the ways that health inequalities can arise from data-driven technologies in the UK’s health ecosystem.

Evidence was gathered through a desk-based scoping exercise of publicly available documents, with additional information shared by technology organisations. It was supplemented by stakeholder interviews.

Together with the Health Foundation, we are continuing to gather evidence of the ways data-driven systems impact inequalities. Our goal is to produce recommendations for how these systems can be designed and deployed in ways that mitigate negative impacts and promote their benefits.

The advisory group

Throughout the research, an advisory group of specialists in philosophy, global and public health, patient and public advocacy, as well as ethics and industry have provided guidance.