Social rights in relation to digitalization, mobile phone, and internet use – experiences of women in homelessness: a qualitative study

ABSTRACT

Given the fact that women in homelessness face considerable health inequities, the question of how digitalization can be understood in relation to social rights and right to health surfaces. The objective of this qualitative interview study was to explore the use of mobile phones and internet for women experiencing homelessness. Women (n = 26) shared experiences of healthcare access by using a mobile phone or internet. Data were analyzed using NVivo software. The results are presented in two themes: Conditions and circumstances of having a mobile phone; and Structural and intrapersonal challenges affecting social rights. The results show that digitalization actively influenced everyday life for women experiencing homelessness. Whether women wanted it to or not, digitalization presents a line of demarcation for participation and inclusion or exclusion, in health- and social-care services.

KEYWORDS:

• Digitalization
• health inequalities
• marginalization
• socio-economic

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the women who shared their experiences in the interviews.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Author contributions

AK, EM, and MSE provided study conception and design. AK and EM were involved in gaining ethical approval, recruiting patients and performed the interviews. AK, EM, JV, ÅK, and MSE were involved in the data analysis. AK wrote the first draft of the manuscript. All authors critically reviewed and edited the manuscript and approved the final version of the manuscript.

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author [AK]. The data are not publicly available due to restrictions, e.g. their containing information that could compromise the privacy of research participants.

Ethical approval

The Swedish Ethical Review Authority approved this study [no 2019-02143].

Additional information

Funding

Vetenskapsrådet [2019-01095] and FORTE [2020-00169] funded the project. The funders had no influence on the research process at any stage.