How digital public health actually works

In the latest episode of the Digital Public Health Podcast, host
Rasmus Cloes talks to Professor Dr. Hajo Zeeb about the first
comprehensive handbook on digital public health. The book captures
the spirit of the times, but only touches on one important topic.
In the conversation, Hajo explains how the handbook is structured:
It begins with overarching topics such as equality, inequality, and
justice, then introduces key challenges such as data protection and
ethics, and finally focuses on technological perspectives.
Digitalization offers opportunities, but also risks. Hajo describes
a ratio of “55:45 in favor of opportunities” – but only if risks
are actively addressed. The limitations of digital tools are also
discussed. Hajo emphasizes that health is an area of trust in which
personal interaction continues to play a major role. Digitalization
can support, but does not replace, all analog forms. At the same
time, the handbook shows how important a common language is in
interdisciplinary teams – from the campus glossary to the question
of what a data lake actually means. Another key topic of discussion
is what is missing from the handbook: cybersecurity and evaluation.
Hajo describes both areas as crucial for the future, but they are
only touched upon in the book. Evaluation is becoming increasingly
important—not only in terms of effectiveness, but above all in
terms of usage, suitability for everyday use, and real effects on
health. Digitalization is developing rapidly, and traditional study
designs are often no longer sufficient. Finally, they talk about
future scenarios. The handbook paints optimistic and pessimistic
pictures of a digital health world. Science sees itself as a
designer and companion that tests developments, combats
misinformation, and observes social acceptance. Digitalization is
happening – the question is how we shape it. This is exactly what
the new handbook aims to provide guidance on.