Background
Technology has the potential to address the needs of young stroke survivors. Our previous research indicates that young stroke survivors recommend the development of tools related to four items: interactive games for speech rehabilitation, re-training movement of limbs, medication reminder apps and social media for mentorship. However, little is known about the availability of technological resources to support these needs.
Objective
To identify and collate available technological resources that address the specific needs of young adults (under 30 years) with stroke in Australia.
Methods
An environmental scan was conducted from December 2023 to March 2024. Sources included websites, app stores, rehabilitation centres, hospital stroke services, technology developers, and healthcare professionals. Data was extracted and analysed descriptively.
Results
A total of 114 resources were identified, however, information about the target age was not available.The resources included apps for re-training limb movement (n=12, 11%), speech rehabilitation (n=46, 40%), medication reminders (n=23, 20%), and social media posts for peer support (n=33, 29%). Most apps for re-training limb movement (75%) and medication reminders (87%) were free of charge. However, majority of the speech therapy apps (78%) had associated costs. Social media posts were hosted on Facebook (64%), Instagram (21%), TikTok (9%), YouTube (3%), and other websites (3%). Forty- six percent of social media posts targeting young stroke survivors did not specify the age group.
Conclusions
Although the resources are not designed specifically for younger people, they may be a useful adjunct for young people with stroke and clinicians to support stroke recovery.