Digital Rehabilitation Interventions at Home- and Life Space in Sub-Saharan Africa : Scoping review
Vuori, Mia (2025)
2025
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-202505018520
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-202505018520
Tiivistelmä
Access to rehabilitation in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) remains insufficient to meet growing needs. Due to lack of resources and issues with infrastructure, especially in low-income countries and Africa, rehabilitation is vastly inaccessible. In African nations, rehabilitation services face major shortages, leaving at least 63% of those in need without adequate care. Digital rehabilitation technologies offer cost-effective solutions, helping to reduce hospital stays and prevent re-admissions. SSA region’s growing mobile and internet access offers opportunities for digital rehabilitation, though challenges such as infrastructure gaps remain.
A scoping review was conducted following the framework of Arksey and O'Malley, with improvements made by Levac et al. (2010) in collaboration within the RADIC project, focusing on digital rehabilitation in SSA countries. The project aimed to promote digital transformation in East Africa through capacity building in higher education. Led by Bochum University of Applied Health Sciences, the review explored digital rehabilitation methods in home and life space settings.
Nineteen studies were selected to gather knowledge and explain the facilitators and barriers of successful implementation of home and life space based digital rehabilitation in the SSA region. The results of the scoping review were identified and presented in three categories: environmental, access, and intervention related determinants. The findings strengthen the current body of evidence on the factors influencing the successful implementation of digital rehabilitation interventions. Further investigation is urgently needed to develop sustainable digital rehabilitation strategies contextualized for the SSA region.
Digital rehabilitation is gradually growing in SSA countries. However, significant challenges must be addressed before digital solutions can meet the region's growing demand for rehabilitation services. Policies and regulations based on evidence-based research and structural guidance are needed by governments to ensure the development of digital rehabilitation. The insights of the scoping review can be applied to support development projects and design processes of future digital rehabilitation interventions in sub-Saharan Africa.
A scoping review was conducted following the framework of Arksey and O'Malley, with improvements made by Levac et al. (2010) in collaboration within the RADIC project, focusing on digital rehabilitation in SSA countries. The project aimed to promote digital transformation in East Africa through capacity building in higher education. Led by Bochum University of Applied Health Sciences, the review explored digital rehabilitation methods in home and life space settings.
Nineteen studies were selected to gather knowledge and explain the facilitators and barriers of successful implementation of home and life space based digital rehabilitation in the SSA region. The results of the scoping review were identified and presented in three categories: environmental, access, and intervention related determinants. The findings strengthen the current body of evidence on the factors influencing the successful implementation of digital rehabilitation interventions. Further investigation is urgently needed to develop sustainable digital rehabilitation strategies contextualized for the SSA region.
Digital rehabilitation is gradually growing in SSA countries. However, significant challenges must be addressed before digital solutions can meet the region's growing demand for rehabilitation services. Policies and regulations based on evidence-based research and structural guidance are needed by governments to ensure the development of digital rehabilitation. The insights of the scoping review can be applied to support development projects and design processes of future digital rehabilitation interventions in sub-Saharan Africa.