Utilizing augmented reality for quality of life assessment in the wounded and injured combat veterans who have undergone rehabilitation

Relevance. The wounded and injured veterans of the special military operation require rehabilitation to bring back their functionality and well-being lost in combat. In combat veterans undergoing rehabilitation, digital augmented reality (AR) can efficiently provide a motivating and immersive environment allowing to practice motor skills, overcome psychological barriers, and accelerate functional recovery.

The objective is to assess the efficiency of digital AR-based technologies and adaptive sports in the outpatient and medical rehabilitation resort setting by way of comparative analysis of health-related quality of life indicators in the special military operation veterans.

Methods. Health-related quality of life indicators were selectively studied in the two groups of the wounded and injured special military operation veterans who had undergone medical rehabilitation at an outpatient clinic (for 2 to 3 week) or medical rehabilitation resort (for 3 week). Group 1 was exposed to conventional therapeutic and general physical training (TPT and GPT), whereas Group 2 received rehabilitation using adaptive sports techniques. Group 1 (n = 78) represented combat veterans who received conventional rehabilitation (TPT, GPT, and adaptive sports), that did not include augmented reality technologies. Group 2 (n = 31) included combat veterans who received identical rehabilitation, though combined with digital augmented reality technologies. The study subjects were interviewed using the Russian version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life Brief Questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF/WHOQOL-26). The non-parametric Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare the results between the groups was. Based on the numerical data set, the median, lower and upper quartiles were calculated (Me [Q₁; Q₃]). At p < 0.05 the differences were considered statistically significant.

Results and discussion. In Group 2, the wounded and injured combat veterans reported significantly higher overall WHOQOL-26 quality of life scores both in the total sampling and within the subgroup aged under 30, as opposite to Group 1. Physical and psychological well-being, self-perception, self-assessed health quality, and overall quality of life were characterized by statistically significant differences in the median scores for both the total sampling and in the subgroup of the veterans aged under 30. Group1 and 2 showed no significant differences with regard to social well-being and microsocial environment. Age-related characteristics and the absence of notable differences for social parameters should be considered in the development of new AR applications and simulators for rehabilitation purposes.

Conclusion. In outpatient and medical resort rehabilitation, the combination of digital augmented reality technologies, TPT and GPT methods, as well as adaptive sports-based rehabilitation effectively improves quality of life of the wounded and injured combat veterans of the special military operation. The results justify the need to establish in Russia a comprehensive, evidence-based framework for combat veterans, incorporating high-tech digital solutions across various stages and types of rehabilitation.

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