Abstract
India’s gig economy has expanded rapidly, with the workforce growing from approximately 7.7 million workers in 2020-21 to a projected 23.5 million by 2029-30 [4]. Despite this growth, gig workers face pronounced health vulnerabilities including lack of health coverage, income instability, and occupational health risks [2][4][16][20][21]. Personal Health Informatics (PHI), which encompasses digital tools and information systems that support self-monitoring, assessment, and proactive care, offers a promising pathway to mitigate these risks [1][10][28]. This paper synthesizes evidence from policy reports, empirical PHI research in urban India, and surveys of gig workers to examine the state of digital health in India, barriers to PHI adoption among gig workers, potential economic and health benefits, and feasible intervention and policy options. While India has built substantial digital health infrastructure through initiatives such as the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), the eSanjeevani telemedicine platform, and a rapidly expanding wearable and app ecosystem, PHI adoption among gig workers is constrained by low health and digital literacy, usability and integration challenges, economic affordability barriers, and significant trust and privacy concerns [1][3][7][10][11][28]. Using a simplified cost-benefit model, the paper illustrates that under conservative assumptions, PHI programs for gig workers can yield a benefit-cost ratio of approximately 1.5:1, driven by savings from early detection, preventive care, and reduced downtime. The paper concludes that meaningful digital health adoption for gig workers will require coordinated action by platforms, government, health-tech firms, and civil society, including platform-led subsidized PHI programs, government-supported digital health coverage and literacy campaigns, worker-centered PHI design, and innovative micro-insurance models [1][2][4][14][70].
Key Words: gig economy, digital health, Personal Health Informatics (PHI), India, platform work, health policy, preventive care, telemedicine, wearable devices, health literacy
Author- Nikki Gupta
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