Digital Infrastructure [Washington (State)]
State of Washington Geospatial Open Data Portal · 2025 Full Details
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Full Details
- Title
- Digital Infrastructure [Washington (State)]
- Description
- This data is included as part of the Environmental Health Disparities Version 3.0 map. To see this map, visit our webpage . For more technical information on this map and the model used, visit our technical report (link) . Background Digital infrastructure plays a critical role in providing services. These include telehealth, emergency alerts, education, employment, and social opportunities. Not having digital access to these services can harm people's health and well-being. Unfortunately, connectivity presents challenges both in rural and urban areas. In rural areas, the biggest problem is a lack of infrastructure. Bringing broadband networks to rural areas requires wiring long distances. Without this investment, internet availability is limited. As a result, many rural communities are left disconnected from digital services. This builds on other burdens rural communities may face. For example, telehealth could help offset rural doctor shortages, but only if people can get online. In urban areas, the biggest problem is accessing the infrastructure that does exist. Minoritized communities face challenges such as limited digital literacy and affordability. People with limited financial resources often have other priorities for their spending. These factors create significant barriers for these communities in accessing digital services. People who don't have access to the benefits of digital infrastructure often bear the costs of the industry. For example, data sites can create environmental and social inequalities. These are most likely to impact marginalized groups. Lack of digital access increases health risk in both rural and urban communities. People may not be able to connect with health care providers or receive critical emergency information. Groups already burdened by environmental stressors are the most affected. Evidence Digital infrastructure is increasingly critical for delivering essential services like telehealth and staying socially connected. However, both rural and urban areas face significant challenges in digital connectivity [1, 2]. Rural regions often lack foundational infrastructure. This gets in the way of telemedicine making up for rural physician shortages [3]. Urban areas struggle with issues such as limited digital literacy and "digital redlining," where minoritized communities and communities with less economic access receive inferior internet services [2]. These connectivity gaps add to existing environmental burdens. In rural communities, lack of broadband access may require more travel to do work and activities that could otherwise be done online [4]. Data source 2023 infrastructure/adoption (INFA) data was obtained here: 2023 Digital Divide Index (DDI) (arcgis.com) , Purdue University Methods The Digital Divide Index includes an infrastructu re/a doption (INFA) component and a socioeconomic component. This measure only uses the INFA component. The EHD map already accounts for socioeconomic factors separately. The INFA score contains four variables related to broadband infrastructure and adoption: (1) percent of homes without a computing device (desktops, laptops, smartphones, tablets, etc.). (2) percent of homes with no internet access (including cellular data plans or dial-up). (3) average download speed. (4) average upload speed. INFA measures speed in megabits per second, weighted by number of speed tests. These data come from the Ookla Speedtest® open dataset. The Digital Divide Index weights the four INFA variables. Devices and access are weighted more heavily (0.35 each) than download and upload speeds (0.15 each). Without connection, speed does not matter. Therefore, devices and access are more fundamental to connectivity. Additionally, speeds are subject to extreme outliers. Lower weighting for download and upload speeds reduces the impact of these outliers. You can learn more about how the INFA score is created on the Digital Divide Index website. Caveats The INFA score combines factors like access to computing devices, internet connectivity, and broadband speed into a single index. This may oversimplify the complexities of digital access. This measure represents the entire census tract, not individual areas wit hin it. These data should always be supplemented with local data and equitable engagement for more accurate insights. Sources American Heart Association. (2020). Expanding access to care through telehealth . https://www.heart.org/en/-/media/Files/About-Us/Policy-Research/Policy-Positions/Digital-Health/Expanding-Access-to-Care-Through-Telehealth-2020.pdf Community Tech Network. (2023). Digital redlining and its impact on low-income communities of color . https://communitytechnetwork.org/blog/digital-equity-for-black-americans-a-racial-justice-issue/#:~:text=Internet%20service%20providers%20have%20underinvested,infrastructure%20and%20slower%20internet%20speeds . Drake, C., Zhang, Y., Chaiyachati, K. H., & Polsky, D. (2019). The Limitations of Poor Broadband Internet Access for Telemedicine Use in Rural America: An Observational Study. Annals of internal medicine , 171 (5), 382-384. Third Way. (2021). Rural communities need better transportation policy . rural-communities-need-better-transportation-policy.pdf
- Creator
- WADOH
- Publisher
- State of Washington Geospatial Open Data Portal
- Temporal Coverage
- Last Modified: 2025-07-16
- Date Issued
- 2025-07-08
- Rights
- Neither the Washington State Department of Health (WADOH), nor any agency, officer, or employee of the WADOH warrants the accuracy, reliability or timeliness of any information published by this system, nor endorses any content, viewpoints, products, or services linked from this system, and shall not be held liable for any losses caused by reliance on the accuracy, reliability, or timeliness of such information. Portions of such information may be incorrect or not current. Any person or entity who relies on any information obtained from this system does so at their own risk.
- Access Rights
- Public
- Format
- ArcGIS FeatureLayer
- Language
- English
- Date Added
- February 02, 2026
- Provenance Statement
- The metadata for this resource was last retrieved from State of Washington Geospatial Open Data Portal on 2026-02-02.
Cite and Reference
-
Citation
WADOH (2025). Digital Infrastructure [Washington (State)]. State of Washington Geospatial Open Data Portal. https://geo.wa.gov/datasets/043d3ff4667845fca232371c29148834_0 (web service) -
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