Broadband access within Medically Underserved Areas and its implication for telehealth utilization

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Services Research
• Telemedicine

Background:

• Limited information exists on how broadband infrastructure affects virtual care access in underserved communities.
• Medically Underserved Areas (MUAs) often rely on community health providers for primary care, making broadband access critical.
• Expanding virtual care requires understanding the digital divide impacting these populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine broadband internet access in Medically Underserved Areas (MUAs).
• To assess broadband availability within MUAs relying on community health centers.
• To analyze the impact of broadband infrastructure on virtual care accessibility for underserved populations.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study using US Census Block Group data (2017, 2019) and FCC broadband data.
• Analysis of household broadband subscription rates and Healthy People 2020 access thresholds in MUAs.
• Comparison of broadband access and speeds between MUA and non-MUA households, including urban and rural disparities.

Main Results:

• In 2019, MUA households had lower broadband subscription rates (74.7%) and access to 25 Mbps speeds (61.1%) compared to non-MUA households (85.2% and 75.6%, respectively).
• Broadband access disparities between MUA and non-MUA households converged annually in urban areas.
• Rural MUA households showed minimal improvement in broadband access from 2017 to 2019.

Conclusions:

• Broadband access disparities are converging, but rural MUAs experience slow progress.
• Reimbursement for audio-only telehealth by Medicaid agencies can reduce virtual care barriers for MUA residents.
• Policy interventions are needed to ensure equitable broadband access for virtual healthcare delivery.