EXPERIENCES OF STROKE PATIENTS USING THE DIGITAL REHABILITATION ASSISTANT "VIGO" DURING INPATIENT REHABILITATION

D. Stirane^1,2, A. Baumane², A. Nulle¹, I. Tanenberga¹

¹National Rehabilitation Centre “Vaivari”, Jurmala, Latvia, ²Riga Stradins University, Department of Rehabilitation, Riga, Latvia

Background: According to World Health Organisation (WHO) stroke is the second leading cause of death and the third leading cause of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) lost globally. Digital therapy provides evidence-based services using information and communication technologies or special software to treat, control or prevent disease. The digital assistant “Vigo” is a computer-generated artificial intelligence-based application that serves as a digital assistant to a stroke patient and his family. With its conversational chatbot and gamification elements it counsels, educates, and trains the stroke patient and patient's family on stroke, rehabilitation, care, and other related issues.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to explore and describe the stroke patients' experience using the third version of the digital rehabilitation assistant "Vigo" during inpatient rehabilitation.

Methods: Study design - qualitative research. Twelve persons (18-65 years), who have suffered from stroke (1-12 month after stroke) with motor and/or sensor impairment, without severe cognitive disfunction (MoCA >18) and have used digital rehabilitation assistant “Vigo” during inpatient rehabilitation at least 8 days, was interviewed by using semi-structured interview. The semi-structured interviews were conducted with each participant to obtain information on the usability of the application. Transcripts of interviews was analysed using inductive approach.

Results: In the process of analyzing the interviews, 104 codes, 35 categories and five themes were identified. The experience using digital rehabilitation assistant of the study participants was analysed regarding the content of the digital rehabilitation assistant "Vigo" (video, images, audio, text, exercises, rest breaks, chat room, educational opportunities), functionality (device, options, feedback, technical issues), perceptibility, comprehensibility and usage. Users express their opinion regarding of accepting provided therapy by digital rehabilitation assistant and value its offered opportunity to use it at any time and that digital rehabilitation assistant is useful at rehabilitation center. The participants have opinion that the digital assistant can be used at a convenient time in their room, and the equipment needed for exercising according digital rehabilitation assistant given tasks is available at the rehabilitation center. The participants of the study give feedback that the videos are easy to understand, and it is possible to follow the advice for daily activities and exercises.

Conclusions: Persons, who have suffered from stroke have positive attitude to use digital rehabilitation assistant “Vigo” in inpatient rehabilitation and are capable of accepting provided therapy in their rehabilitation. In stroke patient opinion digital rehabilitation assistant “Vigo” can be conveniently used in combination with other interventions during inpatient rehabilitation. Persons, who have suffered from stroke, expressed an opinion that developers of digital rehabilitation assistant need to prioritise removal of flaws in application content and design, improve accessibility of application independently from available devices for users and functional condition, and need widely inform society about digital therapy and its available abilities.

Implications: Current users of the digital rehabilitation assistant "Vigo" application recognise its ability to support, provide educational information and increase participation in rehabilitation activities, thereby promoting patient recovery and regular physical activity.

Funding acknowledgements: This study received no external funding.

Keywords:
Stroke
Digital Therapy
Rehabilitation

Topics:
Neurology: stroke
Innovative technology: information management, big data and artificial intelligence

Did this work require ethics approval? Yes

Institution: Riga Stradins University

Committee: Riga Stradins University Research Ethics Committee

Ethics number: 22-2/552/2021