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Abstract
Background: Community-based digital health platforms such as mobile applications offering preventive guidance and access to personal health records hold promise for reducing gaps in preventive care in underserved regions. However, evidence from Pakistan on user experience and behavior change remains scarce.
Objective: This study evaluated whether community-based digital health platforms improve preventive healthcare access, user satisfaction, and perceived behavioral change among underserved communities in Peshawar.
Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional survey was conducted with 393 patients and attendants in Peshawar, Pakistan (October–December 2023). Participants were recruited through convenience sampling following verbal informed consent. A structured questionnaire assessed demographics, frequency of platform use, satisfaction, and perceived changes in preventive health behaviors. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and Pearson correlations were used to examine associations among engagement patterns, satisfaction, education level, and behavioral outcomes.
Results: Frequency of platform use showed a moderate positive correlation with satisfaction (r = 0.45, p < .001). Education level was significantly associated with perceived improvements in preventive-care access (χ² = 10.67, p = .03). Platform engagement demonstrated a significant association with behavioral change (r = 0.30, p = .05). Age, gender, and residence were not significantly associated with satisfaction.
Conclusion: Community-based digital health platforms appear to enhance access to preventive care and are generally associated with high user satisfaction in underserved populations. However, the observed behavioral changes were modest, indicating that improving digital literacy, providing more tailored user support, and implementing sustained engagement strategies will be essential to maximize long-term preventive-health gains and overall platform effectiveness.