Systematic Review on End-Users’ Perception of Facilitators and Barriers in Accessing Tele-Rehabilitation Services

Psychiatric rehabilitation is a therapeutic approach that encourages people with mental illness and intellectual disabilities to develop their inherent capacities through learning and environmental support. Psychiatric treatment (pharmacological and psychological) controls psychiatric symptoms; psychiatric rehabilitation focuses on functioning and role outcomes. The review aimed to explore the end-user’s perception of facilitators and barriers in accessing psychiatric tele-rehabilitation services. Various electronic databases like Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, Research Gate, Science Direct, ProQuest, Springer, Wolters-Taylors, Elsevier, PsycINFO, and Wiley online library were searched using Google scholar. Inclusion criteria were studies including psychiatric rehabilitation, web-based interventions, and facilitators and barriers in accessing psychiatric tele-rehabilitation services. A systematic search identified 13 studies, including quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-method approaches. The results identified were based on the facilitators and barriers in accessing telerehabilitation. The common themes identified in this review are (1) facilitators of telerehabilitation, (2) barriers of tele-rehabilitation, and (3) expectations in tele-rehabilitation. The facilitating factors include an internet-enabled device, cost/financial benefits, ehealthcare knowledge, technology as a valuable and accessible tool, motivational factors, satisfaction and willingness. The barriers include affordability to the internetenabled device, network connectivity, lack of technical skills, and digital literacy. Expectations include some modifications needed to carry out effective practices of psychiatric tele-rehabilitation. Effective tele-rehabilitation helps people with mental illness and intellectual developmental disorders for their optimal functioning/quality of life.