SwallowingImplementationGeneralization

First scoping review (2025) of digital health technology for dysphagia rehabilitation - covering VR, AR, video games, telehealth, AI-based systems, and mobile apps for swallowing therapy

Hwang NK et al. · 2025 · Journal of Evidence-Based Medicine · Systematic Review 0 · Scoping review of digital dysphagia rehabilitation studies · DOI
Evidence certainty: High certainty
How this was rated

Pre-specified scoping review methodology following PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Multi-database systematic search (Medline Complete, Embase, CINAHL, Scopus, grey literature) covering 2000-mid-2024. Peer-reviewed in Journal of Evidence-Based Medicine (Wiley, established peer-reviewed evidence-synthesis journal). Funded by South Korean Bio & Medical Technology Development Program and the National Research Foundation of Korea. Limitations: scoping review (not meta-analysis) provides scope and characterization but not pooled effect-size estimates; review covers digital tech broadly (VR is one of several modalities).

Ratings use a simplified four-tier scheme (High, Moderate, Low, Very Low) informed by the GRADE working group. Learn more about how studies are rated.

A scoping review published in Journal of Evidence-Based Medicine synthesizing the digital technology landscape for dysphagia (swallowing) rehabilitation. Searched Medline Complete, Embase, CINAHL, Scopus, and grey literature for articles published January 2000-mid-2024. Covers personalized exercise platforms, remote monitoring, real-time feedback systems, VR, video games, AI-based interventions, and mobile applications across the dysphagia care continuum. The first major review for our Hub's swallowing topic, which previously had only one study.

Clinical bottom line

The most authoritative recent scoping review of digital technology in dysphagia rehabilitation - directly fills our biggest topic gap (swallowing previously had only one Hub entry). For SLPs working with dysphagia clients and considering digital adjuncts, this paper maps the full landscape of options across VR, AR, video games, telehealth, AI, and mobile apps. Note: this is a digital-tech-broad review, not specifically a VR-only review, so the VR-specific findings need to be extracted from the broader synthesis.

Key findings

  • First major scoping review of digital health technology applied to dysphagia rehabilitation, published February 2025 in Journal of Evidence-Based Medicine
  • Multi-database systematic search: Medline Complete, Embase, CINAHL, Scopus, plus grey literature - January 2000 through mid-2024
  • Digital technology categories covered include: VR, AR, video games, telerehabilitation, AI-based feedback, mobile applications, real-time monitoring platforms
  • Korean research consortium (Seoul Metropolitan Bukbu Hospital, Dongseo University, Inje University, Pusan National University) - geographic diversification beyond North American + European literature
  • Funded by South Korean National Research Foundation and Bio & Medical Technology Development Program
  • Open access via Wiley
  • Fills our Hub's biggest topic gap: previously only 1 swallowing study; this review provides the field-mapping synthesis

Background

Dysphagia is a common consequence of stroke, neurodegenerative disease, head and neck cancer, and aging. Traditional dysphagia therapy is clinician-delivered and resource-intensive. Digital health technology offers personalized exercises, remote monitoring, and real-time feedback - potentially expanding access and improving adherence. By 2024 the digital-dysphagia literature was substantial but lacked a comprehensive scoping synthesis.

What they did and found

PRISMA-ScR scoping review of Medline Complete, Embase, CINAHL, Scopus, and grey literature covering January 2000 to mid-2024. Digital technology categories covered: VR, AR, video games, telerehabilitation, AI-based feedback, mobile applications. Specific number of included studies and findings reported in published article.

Why it matters

Fills our Hub’s biggest topic gap - previously only one swallowing study. For SLPs working with dysphagia and considering digital adjuncts, this is now the field’s authoritative recent synthesis reference. The Korean research consortium adds geographic diversification.

Limitations

Scoping review provides scope rather than effect-size pooling. Digital tech is broader than VR alone. Search cutoff mid-2024 means very recent work may not be included.

Implications for practice

For SLPs working with dysphagia clients and considering digital adjuncts, this scoping review is the most authoritative recent synthesis of the landscape. Maps which digital modalities have been tested for which dysphagia subtypes and indications. Useful for justifying technology adoption to administrators (the field has been characterized at evidence-synthesis level) and for clinicians choosing among digital options (VR, video games, AI-based feedback, telehealth, mobile apps).

Related Studies

Implementation

A map of every reason VR succeeds or stalls in rehabilitation clinics

A scoping review of barriers, facilitators, and knowledge-translation interventions for VR and active-video-game (VR/AVG) implementation in rehabilitation. Used the Theoretical Domains Framework to structure findings across all but 1 of 14 TDF domains; 24 articles were included, ~75% from neurologic rehabilitation (stroke, CP, ABI). A consistent awareness-to-use gap was documented: many clinicians know of VR/AVG but few use it routinely. The review's contribution is procedural and implementation-focused - it does NOT review specific VR therapy efficacy.

Glegg SMN, Levac DE · 2018 Read Summary
Dementia & ProgressiveTBI Cognitive-Comm.Implementation

A seven-year interdisciplinary case study of co-designing an immersive VR kitchen environment for speech-language pathology rehabilitation and aging-in-place

A multi-phase, multi-disciplinary case study describing the seven-year design, development, and feasibility testing of an immersive VR kitchen environment for speech-language pathology rehabilitation and aging-in-place practice. The collaboration brought together speech-language pathologists, interior designers (aging-in-place specialists), VR programrs, and technology consultants. The paper describes the design-thinking methodology, phase-by-phase development, HIPAA-aware infrastructure choices, and lessons for interdisciplinary VR co-development - rather than reporting clinical outcome data on patients.

Harvey-Northrop J et al. · 2025 Read Summary
Implementation

Three and a half decades of SLT economic evaluation - still a small, fragmented, poorly interconnected literature

A scoping review of 52 economic evaluations of speech and language therapy interventions published between 1988 and 2023. The field is growing (3-5 publications a year since 2019) but remains small, methodologically heterogeneous, and poorly interconnected - only 18 of 43 studies cited another included study. No economic evaluations of VR-based SLT interventions were identified.

Hill J et al. · 2025 Read Summary
Social CommunicationImplementationAcceptability

Most SLTs know VR exists - almost none have used it with autistic children - and what would change that is very specific

A UK and Ireland survey of 53 speech and language therapists working with autistic children found that 92% were aware of VR but had not used it clinically. Only one SLT (1.8%) had used it with an autistic child. The barriers cited were specific and addressable: autism-specific VR knowledge, workplace support, training, and clear clinical guidelines. 80% said they would try VR with proper training and evidence.

Mills J, Duffy O · 2025 Read Summary
Dementia & ProgressiveGeneralization

A tutorial overview of how immersive VR might support people with neurogenic communication differences

An ASHA tutorial reviewing immersive VR for speech-language rehabilitation of adults with neurogenic communication disorders. The author's overall conclusion is that there is currently insufficient evidence that immersive VR directly benefits communication outcomes in this population. withVR is named once as one example of emerging applications 'being developed by and for persons with communication differences'; the paper does not use, test, or evaluate withVR.

Stark BC · 2025 Read Summary
ImplementationAcceptability

Mixed-methods study of 15 speech-language pathologists' acceptance, barriers, and enablers of using an immersive VR kitchen environment for communication rehabilitation

Fifteen speech-language pathologists participated in everyday-life communication activities inside an immersive VR kitchen environment, then completed system-usability and motion-sickness surveys plus semi-structured interviews. System usability was average; motion sickness was low. The qualitative analysis identified five themes - attitude toward VR in communication rehabilitation, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, intention to use, and clinical adoption barriers and enablers. SLPs were broadly positive about VR's potential as an ecologically valid communication-rehab tool while identifying real-world implementation barriers.

Vaezipour A et al. · 2022 Read Summary

Cite this study

If you reference this study in your work, the canonical citation formats are:

APA 7th
Hwang, N. K., Yoon, T. H., Chang, M. Y., & Park, J. S. (2025). Dysphagia Rehabilitation Using Digital Technology: A Scoping Review. Journal of Evidence-Based Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1111/jebm.70009.
AMA 11th
Hwang NK, Yoon TH, Chang MY, Park JS. Dysphagia Rehabilitation Using Digital Technology: A Scoping Review. Journal of Evidence-Based Medicine. 2025. doi:10.1111/jebm.70009.
BibTeX
@article{hwang2025,
  author = {Hwang, N. K. and Yoon, T. H. and Chang, M. Y. and Park, J. S.},
  title = {Dysphagia Rehabilitation Using Digital Technology: A Scoping Review},
  journal = {Journal of Evidence-Based Medicine},
  year = {2025},
  doi = {10.1111/jebm.70009},
  url = {https://withvr.app/evidence/studies/hwang-2025}
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
AU  - Hwang, N. K.
AU  - Yoon, T. H.
AU  - Chang, M. Y.
AU  - Park, J. S.
TI  - Dysphagia Rehabilitation Using Digital Technology: A Scoping Review
JO  - Journal of Evidence-Based Medicine
PY  - 2025
DO  - 10.1111/jebm.70009
UR  - https://withvr.app/evidence/studies/hwang-2025
ER  -

Know of research that should be in this hub? If a relevant peer-reviewed study is not listed here, send the reference to hello@withvr.app. The hub is kept up to date as the literature grows.

Funding & independence

Affiliations: Seoul Metropolitan Bukbu Hospital, Dongseo University, Inje University, Pusan National University, South Korea. Funded by South Korean National Research Foundation (RS-2021-NR056450, RS-2022-NR072244) and Bio & Medical Technology Development Program. Peer-reviewed in Journal of Evidence-Based Medicine (Wiley). No withVR BV involvement.

Last reviewed: 2026-05-17 Next review due: 2027-05-17 Reviewed by: Gareth Walkom