Policy-Driven Digital Health Interventions for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention: A Systematic Review of Clinical and Environmental Outcomes
Muhammad Faizan, Chaeyoon Han, Seung Won Lee
Abstract
Objectives: This systematic review investigates clinical and environmental outcomes associated with policy-driven digital health interventions for health promotion and disease prevention. Methods: Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, six databases (Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, IEEE Xplore, ScienceDirect, and MDPI) were systematically searched for empirical studies published between January 2020 and June 2025, using keywords including “digital health,” “telemedicine,” “mHealth,” “wearable,” “AI,” “environmental impact,” and “sustainability.” From 1038 unique records screened, 68 peer-reviewed studies met inclusion criteria and underwent qualitative thematic synthesis. Results: Results show digital health interventions such as telemedicine, mobile health (mHealth) apps, wearable devices, and artificial intelligence (AI) platforms improve healthcare accessibility, chronic disease management, patient adherence, and clinical efficiency. Environmentally, these interventions significantly reduce carbon emissions, hospital energy consumption, and medical waste. Conclusion: The studies lacked standardized environmental metrics and predominantly originated from high-income regions. Future research should prioritize the development of uniform sustainability indicators, broaden geographic representation, and integrate rigorous life-cycle assessments. Policymakers are encouraged to embed environmental considerations into digital health strategies to support resilient, sustainable healthcare systems globally.