Robin van Kessel|Brian Li Han Wong|Ivan Rubini?|Ella O’Nuallain|Katarzyna Czabanowska
Is Europe prepared to go digital? making the case for developing digital capacity: An exploratory analysis of Eurostat survey data
Maastricht University|World Health Organization|MRC Unit for Lifelong Health and Ageing|University College London|Medical Research Council|World Health Organization|Association of Schools of Public Health in the European Region|European Public Health Association|Maastricht University|IP Australia|Maastricht University|Jagiellonian University
digital divides globally recognised wicked problem threatens become new face inequality formed discrepancies internet access digital skills tangible outcomes eg health economic populations previous studies indicate europe average internet access rate 90 yet rarely specify different demographics report presence digital skills exploratory analysis used 2019 community survey ict usage households individuals eurostat sample 147531 households 197631 individuals aged 1674 crosscountry comparative analysis includes eea switzerland data collected january august 2019 analysed april may 2021 large differences internet access observed 7598 especially northwestern 9498 southeastern europe 7587 young populations high education levels employment living urban environment appear positively influence development higher digital skills crosscountry analysis exhibits positive correlation high capital stock incomeearnings digital skills development showing internetaccess price bears marginal influence digital literacy levels findings suggest europe currently unable host sustainable digital society without exacerbating crosscountry inequalities due substantial differences internet access digital literacy investment building digital capacity general population primary objective european countries ensure benefit optimally equitably sustainably advancements digital era