Welcome to Pocket Science: a glimpse at recent research from Husker scientists and engineers. For those who want to quickly learn the “What,” “So what” and “Now what” of Husker research.
What?
There has long been an urban-rural digital divide, and the COVID-19 pandemic shined a spotlight on this divide as internet access became crucial. Schools shifted instruction online; workers were asked to work remotely and meet via video conferencing; online grocery shopping and restaurant delivery became a way to keep oneself home and away from crowds.
The COVID-19 pandemic fundamentally changed internet usage among Americans, with 40% saying they adopted new technologies or used the internet in new ways in 2021, according to the Pew Research Center.
Despite the adoption of many new technologies and digital services, few studies have examined differences in urban-rural internet usage.
So what?
A recent study from University of Nebraska–Lincoln sociologist Kristen Olson and colleagues in the Department of Sociology further examined the urban-rural digital divide, looking into access, online activities and demographic characteristics.
Using data from a late-2020 survey of Nebraskans, the researchers found that urban-rural differences in internet access and activities were notable. Rural residents were less likely to have access at all, and especially less likely to have broadband. Nebraskans in rural areas were also less likely to use video conferencing software for work or medical care; purchase groceries online; stream videos, TV shows or movies; or connect online with friends and family, even after accounting for demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. The urban-rural divide also occurred in using video conferencing for education or mental health care, using social media and playing games online, but these differences were explained by demographic and socioeconomic characteristics.
Now what?
As the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated, the urban-rural digital divide could have important health consequences. Prior to vaccination, citizens were advised to avoid most in-person interactions, and lower access to the internet may have increased risks of being exposed to COVID-19.
Future research could examine the interplay between people who replaced in-person activities with online activities and their infection rates, and if this varied across urban and rural areas, as the study’s findings suggest. Research should also include internet quality and speed, whether local infrastructure supports online functions such as ordering groceries and telemedicine, as well as measures of residents’ digital skills, across urban and rural areas.
