Utilizing Semantic Web for Improving Quality of Life among Family Caregivers of Disabled Children: A Review in Context of Saudi Vision 2030

Abstract

Families with disabled children in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) face unique challenges that impact their quality of life (QoL). Saudi Vision 2030 aims to empower all citizens, including those with disabilities. This research is a review that explores how the Semantic Web (SW), a technology enabling intelligent data interoperability, can be utilized to enhance the QoL for families with disabled children within the framework of Vision 2030. Two instruments were developed and administered by the researcher for data collection in addition to a review of the literature and related studies. First, needs assessment open interviews aimed to analyze the challenges and needs of the Saudi family caregivers. Second, an SW-QoL questionnaire was conducted to explore the key features and functionalities of SW that could fulfill those needs and improve the caregivers’ QoL accordingly within the context of Saudi Vision 2030. The findings of the study propose that SW has got the promising potentials, if applied, to improve the QoL among Saudi family caregivers of disabled children. The study pinpoints that SW’s ability to empower families, improve resource access, and promote social inclusion directly aligns with Saudi Vision 2030’s vision for a more inclusive and equitable society. Applying SW applications in QoL programs remains a suggested area of experimentation in KSA as this research is a call to action. To improve the QoL among Saudi family caregivers of disabled children, further research is recommended to examine the SW functions on the improvement of their QoL. The SW power of linked data could be designed for promoting powerful informed decision-making, as well as SW reasoning engines could be developed for personalizing resources among family caregivers. In addition, SW virtual communities of practice could be built for enhancing resource sharing and social inclusion among those families. Studies are also needed in alignment with the aspirations of KSA Vision 2030 for determining the effect of the information accessibility function of SW on enhancing caregiver families’ access to the target information and support services. Above all, the impact of coordinated care via SW could be investigated to reduce the administrative burdens among caregiver families via data connection from different government agencies.