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Digital Infrastructure as a Determinant of Health Equity: An Australian Case Study of the Implementation of the National Broadband Network
Author(s) -
Schram Ashley,
Friel Sharon,
Freeman Toby,
Fisher Matthew,
Baum Fran,
Harris Patrick
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
australian journal of public administration
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.524
H-Index - 41
eISSN - 1467-8500
pISSN - 0313-6647
DOI - 10.1111/1467-8500.12323
Subject(s) - equity (law) , socioeconomic status , disadvantage , business , health equity , broadband , inequality , digital divide , social determinants of health , the internet , politics , internet access , public economics , economic growth , environmental health , health care , economics , telecommunications , political science , population , medicine , engineering , computer science , mathematical analysis , mathematics , world wide web , law
Inequities in access to fast and reliable internet connections, essential for digital access to services and information that are important for health, can exacerbate social inequalities in health. We evaluated the social equity of the rollout of the National Broadband Network (NBN) in Australia based on the type of digital infrastructure delivered to areas of varying socioeconomic status. We found that areas of greater socioeconomic disadvantage were significantly less likely to receive the highest quality infrastructure, controlling for level of remoteness. These social inequities in provision of quality infrastructure will shape and possibly exacerbate inequities in health. In our discussion we consider how political decisions have obstructed equitable implementation of the policy. Lessons from the Australian case study may be valuable for other countries investing in public digital infrastructure who want to ensure equity of provision and can also inform Australian policy in the NBN's remaining rollout.