Health education technologies for people with disabilities: scope review

Area of Science:

• Health Education
• Disability Studies
• Educational Technology

Background:

• Health education for people with disabilities requires accessible and effective tools.
• Educational technologies offer potential solutions for inclusive health learning.
• Mapping existing technologies is crucial for identifying research gaps.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically map educational technologies developed and applied in health education for individuals with disabilities.
• To identify the scope and nature of existing research in this field.

Main Methods:

• A scope review was conducted following Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) recommendations.
• Inclusion criteria focused on studies addressing the topic, available in full text (Portuguese, English, or Spanish).
• Four information sources and grey literature were searched in January 2024.

Main Results:

• Eight studies were included, detailing experiences in planning, development, evaluation, and validation of health education technologies.
• Technologies were aimed at people with disabilities and healthcare professionals involved in their care.
• The reviewed studies covered various aspects of technology development and application.

Conclusions:

• Educational technologies are vital tools for enhancing inclusion and autonomy for people with disabilities in health education.
• A predominance of methodological studies indicates a need for more research on technology effectiveness.
• Future research should be more robust and diverse to address identified gaps.