AUTHOR=Li Hao , Li Yu 

TITLE=The impact of digital economy development on public health: evidence from Chinese cities

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Public Health

VOLUME=Volume 12 - 2024

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1347572

DOI=10.3389/fpubh.2024.1347572

ISSN=2296-2565

ABSTRACT=The rapid advancement of the digital economy will not only influence the economic sector but also significantly impact the health and well-being of individuals. This study employs a panel fixed-effects model, a spatial Durbin model, and a mediating effect model to explore how the digital economy influences urban public health. Analyzing data from 285 prefecture-level Chinese cities between 2010 and 2022, the research reveals that the digital economy significantly boosts the comprehensive urban public health level and generates spatial spillover effects. The influence of the digital economy on urban public health is especially pronounced in cities characterized by higher levels of economic development and digital economy, alongside lower levels of public health. The study identifies technological innovation and information dissemination as the primary pathways through which the digital economy enhances urban public health.