How do health professionals and the public perceive the use of digital communication tools in obesity and mental health care?

Digital technologies are increasingly used in health communication, yet their role in emotionally complex contexts, such as, obesity and mental health remains unclear. This study compared the use and perceptions of digital communication tools between health professionals (HPs) and the general public. A cross-sectional online survey collected data from 129 HPs and 268 public participants. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square, and Mann–Whitney U tests analysed group differences. HPs were more likely to report using methods such as telephone calls, video consultations, and electronic health records (all p<0.001), and to rate crisis helplines as effective (p<0.001). Public participants preferred consumer-facing technologies used outside clinical settings (e.g. health apps, wearables, messaging) and were less likely to use or value crisis helplines (p<0.001). Both groups reported low adoption of chatbots, with HPs more resistant (p<0.001). Both cohorts identified face-to-face interaction as ideal. HPs more often selected video conferencing, while the public preferred telephone calls. HPs rated digital tools as more empathetic across all formats (p<0.001); 60% rated video conferencing as highly empathetic, compared to 19% of public participants. Findings highlight a digital empathy gap and the need for user-centred design that reduces ‘digital overwhelm’ and supports trust, connection, and usability in stigmatised, or resource-limited settings.