Internet access and cardiovascular death in the United States

As high-speed internet becomes increasingly important as a resource for cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention and management services, gaps in digital infrastructure may have a detrimental impact on health outcomes. Using national census and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data from 2018, researchers evaluated state-level rates of household internet access and age-adjusted cardiac mortality. After adjusting for state-level demographic variables, and rates of education, income, and health insurance, internet access rates were inversely associated with age-adjusted CVD mortality, showing that the potential for internet access to affect CVD management deserves further study. If equitably expanded, tele- and mobile health services could augment receipt of appropriate cardiac care. Policies like the Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) Program, designed to help families and households struggling to afford internet service during the COVID-19 pandemic, could serve as an example of strategies to promote internet access and, thus, provide telehealth services to millions of Americans.