Mobile Health and Chronic Care: Using GIScience to Assess Health Care Accessibility among Broadband Subscribers in Nebraska’s Micropolitan and Rural Areas

Abstract

Individuals with chronic health conditions such as cancer, diabetes, or heart disease have persistent needs for health care. Those residing in remote or rural locations and inflicted with long-term conditions have a more difficult time accessing critical care and ultimately a lower quality of life compared to those with similar ailments in more densely populated places. Mobile health (mHealth) has emerged as an alternative method for health care delivery for those living in rural or micropolitan areas who lack adequate health care options. Increased reliance on technology to provide mHealth options has increased efforts to evaluate differences in internet speeds, particularly among rural broadband customers. Drawing from the GIScience toolbox, a closest facility (CF) analysis is employed to compare network travel times to providers and broadband customer locations in Nebraska’s micropolitan and rural areas. Comparing network travel times to facilities for customers with recorded internet speeds demonstrates the extent to which differences exist between the two categories (micropolitan and rural) and who uses—or does not use—broadband technology for mHealth options. This study highlights GIScience’s ability to use technology to solve spatial problems.