An Analysis of Cultural Responsiveness, Inclusivity, and Accessibility in Crisis mHealth Apps

Abstract

Mobile health (mHealth) apps increasingly support crisis response and management, yet their effectiveness across diverse populations remains underexamined. Older adults, people with disabilities, and low-resource communities often face linguistic, technological, and design barriers that limit their ability to benefit fully from crisis-focused mHealth tools. During crises, such barriers risk amplifying existing digital inequities and restricting access to critical health information. This study systematically evaluates crisis-focused mHealth apps in terms of cultural responsiveness, inclusivity, and accessibility. Findings reveal recurring design gaps and inform the Equitable Digital Crisis Infrastructure (EDCI) Framework, which reconceptualizes digital resilience as a function of both operational capacity and inclusiveness, and offers actionable design recommendations to strengthen equitable crisis response.