Comparing Federal Communications Commission and Microsoft Estimates of Broadband Access for Mental Health Video Telemedicine Among Veterans: Retrospective Cohort Study.
Amy M J O'SheaKailey MulliganKnute D CarterBjarni HaraldssonCharlie M WrayAriana ShahnaziPeter J KaboliPublished in: Journal of medical Internet research (2024)
This study found FCC broadband data estimated higher and less variable county-level broadband percentages compared to those estimated using Microsoft data. Regardless of the data source, veterans without mental health video visits lived in counties with lower broadband access, highlighting the need for accurate broadband speeds to prioritize infrastructure and intervention development based on the greatest community-level impacts. Future work should link broadband access to differences in clinical outcomes.