SMART GOVERNANCE AND PUBLIC HEALTH IN THE DIGITAL AGE: NEW PARADIGMS FOR RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABLE REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

Digital transformation and smart governance are reshaping public health systems by improving service delivery, strengthening institutional resilience, and addressing regional disparities. This study investigates the role of smart governance in the digital transformation of healthcare systems, focusing on socio-demographic determinants influencing the adoption of digital health services and their implications for system resilience and sustainable regional development.
A cross-sectional survey was conducted among urban and rural populations and analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and binary logistic regression. The results indicate significant differences in digital health service utilization by residential environment (χ² = 18.76; p < 0.001) and age group (χ² = 24.33; p < 0.001). Urban respondents demonstrated higher levels of digital health service use compared to rural respondents (81% vs. 45%) and reported greater trust in e-governance systems.
The logistic regression model confirmed that place of residence is a significant predictor of digital health adoption (OR = 2.35; p < 0.001), while age negatively influences the likelihood of use (OR = 0.82; p < 0.01). Digital literacy emerged as the strongest determinant of adoption (OR = 3.80; p < 0.001), whereas gender was not statistically significant (p = 0.42).
The findings highlight persistent structural digital inequalities that influence access to healthcare services and limit equitable participation in digital health ecosystems. The study concludes that strengthening smart governance frameworks, combined with targeted digital literacy interventions and inclusive digital infrastructure policies, is essential for improving health system resilience and promoting sustainable regional development.