ORCID

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9478-6459

Year

2024

Season

Spring

Paper Type

Master's Thesis

College

College of Computing, Engineering & Construction

Degree Name

Master of Science in Computer and Information Sciences (MS)

Department

Computing

NACO controlled Corporate Body

University of North Florida. School of Computing

First Advisor

Dr. Karthikeyan Umapathy

Second Advisor

Dr. Dan Richard

Third Advisor

Dr. Xudong Liu

Fourth Advisor

Dr. Sandeep R. Reddivari

Department Chair

Dr. Asai Asaithambi

College Dean

Dr. Chip Klostermeyer

Abstract

According to the US Census Bureau 2020 data, Florida is one of the six states where the population was undercounted. The census in the US is conducted every ten years and plays a pivotal role in shaping government representation, resource allocation, policy making and federal assistance distribution. Consequently, undercounting of population impacts demographic equality, potentially leading to inequitable distribution of resources. The state of Florida will lose billions of dollars by the end of the decade due to this undercounting issue. So, it is an important task to find the proper reason and sources of undercounting in Florida. The US Census Bureau provides a state estimate of undercounting from the post enumeration survey, but not county specific. By gaining insight into the ramifications of this impact, in our previous research we generated a methodology to measure the undercounting index for Florida specific data at county level. Based on the methodology and analysis of the undercount, we found the access of digital technology and internet is one of the key parameters influencing the undercount problem as the 2020 census conducted fully online. The accessibility of the internet falls under a social dimension called digital divide. We anticipate in 2030 the US Census Bureau will continue to rely on the internet as the primary mode of data collection. Thus, studying the impact of digital divide on undercount in Florida is of utmost importance. To conduct a data driven investigation, in this research we followed the design science research methodology. We analyzed the correlations and the clustered groups that are affected by digital divide and undercounting of population. This research's findings would be beneficial for non-profit organizations working on socio-economic issues.

Available for download on Saturday, May 03, 2025

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