Is Europe prepared to go digital? Making the case for developing digital capacity : an exploratory analysis of Eurostat survey data

2022
journal article
article
56
cris.lastimport.wos2024-04-09T19:21:27Z
dc.abstract.enDigital divides are globally recognised as a wicked problem that threatens to become the new face of inequality. They are formed by discrepancies in Internet access, digital skills, and tangible outcomes (e.g. health, economic) between populations. Previous studies indicate that Europe has an average Internet access rate of 90%, yet rarely specify for different demographics and do not report on the presence of digital skills. This exploratory analysis used the 2019 community survey on ICT usage in households and by individuals from Eurostat, which is a sample of 147,531 households and 197,631 individuals aged 16-74. The cross-country comparative analysis includes EEA and Switzerland. Data were collected between January and August 2019 and analysed between April and May 2021. Large differences in Internet access were observed (75-98%), especially between North-Western (94-98%) and South-Eastern Europe (75-87%). Young populations, high education levels, employment, and living in an urban environment appear to positively influence the development of higher digital skills. The cross-country analysis exhibits a positive correlation between high capital stock and income/earnings, and the digital skills development while showing that the internet-access price bears marginal influence over digital literacy levels. The findings suggest Europe is currently unable to host a sustainable digital society without exacerbating cross-country inequalities due to substantial differences in internet access and digital literacy. Investment in building digital capacity in the general population should be the primary objective of European countries to ensure they can benefit optimally, equitably, and sustainably from the advancements of the Digital Era.
dc.affiliationWydział Nauk o Zdrowiu : Instytut Zdrowia Publicznegopl
dc.cm.date2023-03-07T23:18:37Z
dc.cm.id111318pl
dc.cm.idOmegaUJCM7f5e83fbb0b34eb89395c0321390e602pl
dc.contributor.authorvan Kessel, Robinpl
dc.contributor.authorWong, Brian Li Hanpl
dc.contributor.authorRubinić, Ivanpl
dc.contributor.authorO’Nuallain, Ellapl
dc.contributor.authorCzabanowska, Katarzyna - 200786 pl
dc.date.accession2023-03-07pl
dc.date.accessioned2023-03-07T23:18:37Z
dc.date.available2023-03-07T23:18:37Z
dc.date.issued2022pl
dc.date.openaccess0
dc.description.accesstimew momencie opublikowania
dc.description.number2pl
dc.description.versionoryginalna wersja autorska (preprint)
dc.description.volume1pl
dc.identifier.articleide0000013pl
dc.identifier.doi10.1371/journal.pdig.0000013pl
dc.identifier.eissn2767-3170pl
dc.identifier.issn2767-3170pl
dc.identifier.urihttps://ruj.uj.edu.pl/xmlui/handle/item/308766
dc.identifier.weblinkhttps://journals.plos.org/digitalhealth/article?id=10.1371/journal.pdig.0000013pl
dc.languageengpl
dc.language.containerengpl
dc.pbn.affiliationDziedzina nauk medycznych i nauk o zdrowiu : nauki o zdrowiu
dc.rightsUdzielam licencji. Uznanie autorstwa 4.0 Międzynarodowa
dc.rights.licenceCC-BY
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode.pl
dc.share.typeOtwarte czasopismo
dc.source.integratorfalse
dc.subtypeArticlepl
dc.titleIs Europe prepared to go digital? Making the case for developing digital capacity : an exploratory analysis of Eurostat survey datapl
dc.title.journalPLOS Digital Healthpl
dc.typeJournalArticlepl
dspace.entity.typePublication
cris.lastimport.wos
2024-04-09T19:21:27Z
dc.abstract.en
Digital divides are globally recognised as a wicked problem that threatens to become the new face of inequality. They are formed by discrepancies in Internet access, digital skills, and tangible outcomes (e.g. health, economic) between populations. Previous studies indicate that Europe has an average Internet access rate of 90%, yet rarely specify for different demographics and do not report on the presence of digital skills. This exploratory analysis used the 2019 community survey on ICT usage in households and by individuals from Eurostat, which is a sample of 147,531 households and 197,631 individuals aged 16-74. The cross-country comparative analysis includes EEA and Switzerland. Data were collected between January and August 2019 and analysed between April and May 2021. Large differences in Internet access were observed (75-98%), especially between North-Western (94-98%) and South-Eastern Europe (75-87%). Young populations, high education levels, employment, and living in an urban environment appear to positively influence the development of higher digital skills. The cross-country analysis exhibits a positive correlation between high capital stock and income/earnings, and the digital skills development while showing that the internet-access price bears marginal influence over digital literacy levels. The findings suggest Europe is currently unable to host a sustainable digital society without exacerbating cross-country inequalities due to substantial differences in internet access and digital literacy. Investment in building digital capacity in the general population should be the primary objective of European countries to ensure they can benefit optimally, equitably, and sustainably from the advancements of the Digital Era.
dc.affiliationpl
Wydział Nauk o Zdrowiu : Instytut Zdrowia Publicznego
dc.cm.date
2023-03-07T23:18:37Z
dc.cm.idpl
111318
dc.cm.idOmegapl
UJCM7f5e83fbb0b34eb89395c0321390e602
dc.contributor.authorpl
van Kessel, Robin
dc.contributor.authorpl
Wong, Brian Li Han
dc.contributor.authorpl
Rubinić, Ivan
dc.contributor.authorpl
O’Nuallain, Ella
dc.contributor.authorpl
Czabanowska, Katarzyna - 200786
dc.date.accessionpl
2023-03-07
dc.date.accessioned
2023-03-07T23:18:37Z
dc.date.available
2023-03-07T23:18:37Z
dc.date.issuedpl
2022
dc.date.openaccess
0
dc.description.accesstime
w momencie opublikowania
dc.description.numberpl
2
dc.description.version
oryginalna wersja autorska (preprint)
dc.description.volumepl
1
dc.identifier.articleidpl
e0000013
dc.identifier.doipl
10.1371/journal.pdig.0000013
dc.identifier.eissnpl
2767-3170
dc.identifier.issnpl
2767-3170
dc.identifier.uri
https://ruj.uj.edu.pl/xmlui/handle/item/308766
dc.identifier.weblinkpl
https://journals.plos.org/digitalhealth/article?id=10.1371/journal.pdig.0000013
dc.languagepl
eng
dc.language.containerpl
eng
dc.pbn.affiliation
Dziedzina nauk medycznych i nauk o zdrowiu : nauki o zdrowiu
dc.rights
Udzielam licencji. Uznanie autorstwa 4.0 Międzynarodowa
dc.rights.licence
CC-BY
dc.rights.uri
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode.pl
dc.share.type
Otwarte czasopismo
dc.source.integrator
false
dc.subtypepl
Article
dc.titlepl
Is Europe prepared to go digital? Making the case for developing digital capacity : an exploratory analysis of Eurostat survey data
dc.title.journalpl
PLOS Digital Health
dc.typepl
JournalArticle
dspace.entity.type
Publication
Affiliations

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