The Influence of Digital Health Training on the Effectiveness of Healthcare Services for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Digital health technologies are transforming healthcare service delivery, particularly for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs), yet research on digital health training (DHT) effectiveness in specialized settings remains limited. This cross-sectional study examined how DHT influences healthcare service effectiveness for individuals with IDDs in Saudi Arabia. Data were collected from 122 healthcare practitioners across three regions (Al-Jouf, Riyadh, Northern Border) and analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling. Results revealed that DHT significantly influenced technology adoption (β = 0.865, P < 0.01), with practitioner competency (PC) emerging as the strongest predictor (β = 0.729, P < 0.01). Technology adoption mediated the relationship between training and service effectiveness (β = 0.289, P < 0.01), while PC demonstrated both direct (β = 0.271, P < 0.05) and indirect effects on service effectiveness. Healthcare practitioner characteristics did not significantly moderate these relationships. These findings highlight the importance of developing PC and supporting technology adoption for effective digital health implementation in IDD care within Saudi Arabia’s healthcare context.