From access to agency: ICT usage, psychological empowerment, and health outcomes among rural women in emerging economies
(2026). Health Marketing Quarterly. Advance online publication.
In short
The paper looks at whether rural women who use phones and the internet more are healthier. In a survey of 626 women in Rajasthan, backed by two national datasets, heavier use of information and communication technology went with stronger health beliefs and better self-reported health, and much of the link ran through women feeling more empowered. Programmes that bring technology to rural women may therefore pay off in health when they also build confidence and agency.
Abstract
Systematic health issues among rural women in emerging economies are a key concern for policymakers. A promising development in this domain is the rapid expansion of information and communication technologies (ICTs), which may contribute to improved health outcomes. We examine how individual-level ICT usage relates to the health outcomes of rural women, analysing primary survey data from 626 women in Rajasthan alongside secondary data from the NFHS-5 and IHDS-II datasets. Using multiple empirical approaches, we find that higher ICT usage is consistently associated with stronger health beliefs and better self-reported health, with psychological empowerment (PE) significantly mediating this relationship.
Abstract retrieved from OpenAlex.