Broadband Affordability, Health, and Wellbeing in California

Overview

This focus paper examines the connections between high broadband prices and broadband adoption and analyzes demographic and health outcomes in areas that lack broadband access.  The Health Impact Analysis (HIA) methodology is used to examine the ways in which Californians who are most in need of broadband for healthcare and education are less likely to have access to broadband.  The analysis uses quantitative and qualitative data on health determinants related to social and community context, economic stability, education, healthcare, and social services, as well as health outcome data. This paper finds that price is a major barrier to broadband adoption, and that areas who could benefit from access to online health services and education the most, including areas with higher proportions of people with disabilities and people with significant health conditions, are often less likely to have broadband service. This paper also finds that broadband service is becoming increasingly necessary for households to access healthcare and for youth to succeed educationally.

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