Current Status of Telerehabilitation Services in Low-Middle Income Countries - A Scoping Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63144/ijt.2025.6724Keywords:
Developing countries, Disabled people, Low-middle income countries (LMICs), Telehealth, TelerehabilitationAbstract
Telerehabilitation adoption in low-middle income countries (LMICs) accelerated during COVID-19 pandemic, promoting a surge in telehealth initiatives, many of which remain unexplored. This scoping review aims to assess the current state of telerehabilitation services in LMICs across Asia and Africa using Arksey and O’Malley’s five-stage framework with PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Two reviews were conducted: one covering from 2012 to 2022 and another from 2023 to January 2025, yielding a total of 87 relevant articles. The key themes that emerged from the collected literature include current telerehabilitation status, pandemic utilization, implementation challenges, user understanding of telerehabilitation along with their perceptions and practices, and feasibility together with legal-ethical aspects and acceptability. Despite limited ICT skills and infrastructure challenges, users reported positive experiences, primarily using mobile phones and video conferences. However, privacy concerns along with digital literacy issues remain. Although many nations adopted WHO guidelines and donor support, formal policies and sustainable implementation strategies are still lacking. The findings underscore the need for context specific and sustainable frameworks to strengthen telerehabilitation in LMICs.
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