Educational Technologies in Ophthalmology for Riverside Communities in the Amazon: An Integrative Review of the Literature

Abstract

In the Amazon region, riverside communities have specific geographical, cultural and social characteristics that challenge health promotion. This is due to the diverse needs and social determinants of these communities, which generally live in rural areas, with a certain degree of isolation and unequal access to health services. It is known that this population faces difficulty or no access to ophthalmological medical care, in addition to the lack of epidemiological studies and the construction of educational technologies aimed at these peoples. This study aims to identify evidence and scientific production on the development of educational technologies aimed at ophthalmology in the context of the lives of riverine patients, by means of an integrative literature review, whose guiding question was: "What current scientific evidence deals with the production of educational technologies in ophthalmology for riverine patients?". Twelve studies were selected, categorised into: benefits of the applicability of ophthalmic technologies in rural populations; benefits of the applicability of ophthalmic technologies in urban populations; pedagogical technologies as a tool for education in ophthalmology and the eye health profile of traditional communities. This review resulted in few findings regarding the main objective of the research. The lack of a descriptor that specifically mentions the riverside population is noteworthy and, as a result, it became unfeasible for the authors to carry out a scientific survey that addressed the triad of the riverside population, educational technologies and ophthalmology. Scientific production on the health of the riverine population in Brazil has increased in recent years, but there are still gaps in relation to medical specialities such as ophthalmology and methods that assess the application of technologies that facilitate the relationship between these specialities and riverine circumstances. As a result, further studies are needed into the health of riverine peoples, especially in the area of ophthalmology. It is necessary to carry out more studies to obtain more information about the modus vivendi of the riverside population. Interpretations of this knowledge can help in the development of public policies that promote socio-environmental sustainability, respecting the right of these populations to remain in their territories with socio-cultural and political autonomy. Additionally, it can be discussed how to develop technological plans for activities that are compatible with riverside culture in order to connect this community to specialized eye health needs.