Digital EduHealth for the wellbeing of minority university students: a scoping review

Abstract

Introduction: Inequalities in mental health persist in higher education, disproportionately affecting students from social minorities, despite the progress made by affirmative action policies. Methods: This scoping review follows the Arksey and O'Malley framework, as refined by Levac and colleagues, and the recommendations of the JBI Manual for Evidence Synthesis for scoping reviews. It includes 55 articles from journals on digital interventions that integrate health and education, focusing on the well-being of university students belonging to minority social groups. This scoping review protocol has been registered with Open Science Framework and can be accessed at https://osf.io/yu76c/?view_only= 91260110a2d5410f92731ff29a0eff71. Results: The results revealed the positive effects of digital interventions, especially those with culturally sensitive approaches. However, barriers such as digital exclusion, institutional racism, and poor infrastructure continue to compromise adherence, effectiveness, and inclusion. Discussion: While Digital EduHealth promotes emotional well-being and academic belonging, its success relies on cultural sensitivity, continuous support, and intersectional approaches. Overcoming barriers requires intersectoral strategies. Ultimately, integrating digital health and education provides an emancipatory tool to advance equity and university retention, complementing human contact.