Crises and disasters leave profound marks on individual and collective wellbeing, and these impacts are rarely distributed evenly. First Nations peoples and those living in remote and regional communities often face compounding disadvantages during emergencies, including geographic isolation, under-resourced health infrastructure, and histories of exclusion from the systems designed to protect them. As the world faces increasingly complex emergencies, strengthening public health systems and using digital technologies to support these communities is paramount to ensuring effective and equitable care in times of crisis.
This track invites contributions exploring how information systems, health data, and information and communication technologies can enhance preparedness, response, and recovery for populations affected by disasters, including Indigenous and remote populations. By integrating insights from public health, healthcare informatics, crisis science, and Indigenous data governance, the track seeks to advance theoretical frameworks and practical applications that protect vulnerable populations, strengthen cross-agency and cross-cultural coordination, and promote a whole-of-society approach, especially through initiatives led by First Nations and remote communities themselves.
We welcome work on public health preparedness and response, particularly submissions focused on challenges relevant to remote communities. Contributions examining digital health interventions for low-connectivity environments, Indigenous data sovereignty and governance in crisis health data, and cross-agency and cross-cultural collaboration are encouraged. The track also values research on systemic risk analysis, digital health technologies, and mental health and psychosocial support for disaster-affected communities—all essential to building trust and inclusive recovery. We warmly invite researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and First Nations knowledge holders to join this dialogue on how information systems can support crisis management and response and help anticipate, monitor, and mitigate the health consequences of crises.
Topics of Interest
Topics include, but are not limited to:
- Digital health technologies for continuity of care in low-connectivity settings.
- Indigenous data sovereignty and governance in crisis health data.
- Pandemic preparedness and response.
- Culturally responsive mobile health applications for crises.
- Trust in AI and digital health tools for healthcare involving Indigenous peoples.
- Systemic risk and the management of interdependent risks.
- Health response across remote service networks, including online participatory modelling.
- Cross-sector and cross-cultural impacts of health disruptions.
- Health monitoring and surveillance methods.
- Health impact and risk assessment in transboundary and cross-jurisdictional crises.
- Disaster eHealth for remote settings, including AI, robotics, drones, and Internet of Things solutions.
- Digital twins for disaster healthcare delivery at a distance.
- Health systems interoperability.
- Building resilient and adaptive health systems in low-resource settings and contexts.
- Predictive modelling and early-detection systems adapted for low-resource contexts.
- Co-design and community participation in crisis health response.
- Mental health and psychosocial support grounded in cultural safety.
- Education, capacity building, and crisis learning with remote health workforces.
- Electronic triage systems for remote and pre-hospital contexts.
- Complex and cross-border challenges in health informatics.
Track Chairs
| Role | Name | Affiliation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corresponding Chair | Reem Abbas | Auckland University of Technology | reem.abbas@aut.ac.nz |
| Co-chair | Zeno Franco | Medical College of Wisconsin | zfranco@mcw.edu |
| Co-chair | Jose J. Gonzalez | Department of Information and Communication Technology Centre for Integrated Emergency Management University of Agder, Norway | josejg@uia.no |