A Review on Digital Divide and Its Impact on Physiotherapy Delivery in Rural Settings

Author(s): Bhawana Gupta, Vidushi Singh, Mansi Mbmaurya

Digital physiotherapy has been evidenced to be an effective and practical way of delivering physiotherapy services to individuals, principally those with inadequate access to traditional in-person care. However, the assistances of digital physiotherapy are not evenly distributed. Rural areas are disproportionately affected by these disparities due to deprived network coverage area, limited affordability of electronic devices, lower educational levels, awareness of telerehabilitation and limited exposure to digital health interventions. The goal of this review is to evaluate and synthesize existing literature on the digital divide and what impact the digital divide has on physiotherapy service delivery in rural areas. In doing so, this review will identify the main barriers, implementers, and gaps in research, with the goal of informing clinical practice, guiding future research, and supporting policy initiatives designed to promote the equitable access of digital physiotherapy services delivered in rural settings.