6.C. Workshop: Digitalizing maternal and child public health

Abstract

Abstract Digital Technologies have transformed many sectors in societies, and, increasingly, is changing the health care sector and health research. In comparison the potential of digital technologies in public health has been less explored. The workshop aims to address both the challenges and potentials of digital public health with focus on maternal and child public health. Presenters will provide examples of how digital technologies and digital health innovations can sustain and improve maternal and child health. The workshop presents three perspectives on digital maternal and child public health from different continents. This is a deliberate choice to highlight the universal and global relevance of digitalization in maternal and child public health. After the presentations, time is foreseen for a discussion on potential and limitations, as well as the generalizability of methods and results for maternal and child health globally, as well as on the question of governance in digital public health. The workshop topics will span from digital health information seeking to monitoring and the use of artificial intelligence for policy development. Each presentation covers a different technology or digital approach to public health. The presentations will critically explore how these technologies and approaches can improve public health from a local and global perspective, and will raise central issues, such as acceptance and availability of novel technologies, generalizability of results, governance and participatory approaches in the digital transformation in maternal and child health globally. Key messages Digital technologies can provide different impact for maternal and child public health depending on area of implementation, e.g. health promotion, policy development. Challenges and potentials range from specifically local and health-system related to globally generalizable factors.