Does the Internet Create Healthier Societies? A Spatial Analysis of Health Outcomes and Internet Access

Smartphones, iPads, wearable technologies, etc. have widespread application to healthcare. Prior research often assumed that having access to broadband technologies relates to equity in access to health-related technologies. While some studies suggest that the Internet has led to more sedentary lifestyles, which in turn leads to health-related issues, other studies have established the positive influence of broadband technologies on creating healthier lifestyles. So far, paradoxical effects have been explained by taking time into account but still downplayed geographical factors. This research takes a spatial econometric approach to tease apart the contradictory results. Using a broad dataset, spanning every county in the United States, our analysis reveals the net effect of Internet access over time and its influence on the physical and mental wellbeing of socially advantaged and disadvantaged individuals, while considering the existence of digital inequity and health inequity. Our findings have implications for organizations when designing technology artifacts.