Healthcare professionals' awareness, perceptions, and adoption of robotic-assisted rehabilitation technologies for...

Robotic-assisted rehabilitation technologies (RAT) are promising tools for stroke recovery, offering repetitive, task-specific, and feedback-driven training. Yet, their integration into routine clinical practice in Saudi Arabia remains limited. This study examined healthcare professionals' awareness, perceptions, and adoption of RAT for stroke rehabilitation in Jeddah.

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 210 healthcare professionals (neurologists, physical therapists, occupational therapists) from major hospitals in Jeddah. Data were collected using a validated questionnaire covering demographics, awareness, perceptions, adoption, and future outlook regarding RAT. Descriptive and inferential statistics were applied, with p < 0.05 indicating significance.

Overall, 59.7% of participants had heard of RAT, but only 50% reported moderate understanding. Perceptions were generally positive, with 54.5% rating RAT as effective and 54% as safe. However, clinical adoption was low (30.4%), and usage was mostly rare (59.4%). Adoption was significantly associated with age, professional role, and years of experience (p < 0.05). Key barriers included high cost (32.4%), limited availability (23.8%), insufficient training (23.3%), and lack of awareness (20.5%). More than half of respondents (53%) believed RAT would play a pivotal role in future stroke rehabilitation, citing improved accessibility, cost reduction, and enhanced training as key facilitators.

Awareness and perceptions of RAT among healthcare professionals in Jeddah are moderate to positive, yet clinical adoption remains limited due to cost, training, and accessibility barriers. Enhancing knowledge, providing targeted training, and developing supportive policies are essential to align RAT implementation with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 objectives for advanced healthcare innovation.