Situation and challenges of digital isolation in rural Spanish areas

Hayet Kerras, Francisca Rosique Contreras, Susana Bautista and Maria Dolores de-Miguel Gómez

Economia Agraria y Recursos Naturales, 2024, vol. 24, issue 02

Abstract: [EN] Digitalization and ICTs improve rural life in Spain, yet the digital divide persists, affecting youth, the elderly, the unemployed, and women most acutely. Limited access and ICT skills create inequalities compared to urban areas. This study assesses the divide through 408 rural surveys and the PLS-SEM model, analyzing 27 questions that show how socioeconomic factors influence unequal ICT access. Results highlight an urgent need for policies to address these technological disparities in rural areas, aiming for more equitable digital inclusion. [ES] La digitalización y las TIC mejoran la vida rural en España, pero la brecha digital persiste, afectando principalmente a jóvenes, mayores, desempleados y mujeres. Esta falta de acceso y habilidades en TIC genera desigualdades frente a zonas urbanas. Este estudio evalúa dicha brecha con 408 encuestas rurales y el modelo PLS-SEM, analizando 27 preguntas que revelan cómo factores socioeconómicos influyen en el acceso desigual a las TIC. Los resultados subrayan la urgencia de políticas para combatir estas disparidades tecnológicas en el entorno rural, promoviendo una inclusión más equitativa en el acceso digital.

Keywords: Community/Rural/Urban; Development (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ags:earnsa:349030

DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.349030

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