The role of digital transformation in enhancing support and care for families of people with disabilities in Saudi Arabia and Egypt: Current realities, challenges, and strategies for improvement

This study investigates the role of digital transformation in enhancing support and care for families of individuals with disabilities in Saudi Arabia and Egypt, focusing on realities, challenges, and strategies for improvement. Adopting a descriptive-analytical comparative approach, data were collected through an online questionnaire involving 605 families—296 from Egypt and 309 from Saudi Arabia. The findings indicate that families in Saudi Arabia generally exhibit more positive attitudes towards digital transformation than those in Egypt, with younger individuals (under 34), males, and those with educational qualifications below secondary school and bachelor’s degrees demonstrating higher positivity. Additionally, families of individuals with physical and hearing disabilities reported more favorable attitudes compared to families of individuals with visual and intellectual disabilities, who were largely neutral. The results also reveal significant differences between the two countries in digital transformation utilization, with Saudi Arabia showing a higher overall mean score (3.395) compared to Egypt (2.824). Moreover, families in Egypt face considerable challenges in adopting digital technologies, and the effectiveness of proposed strategies to overcome these challenges is greater in Saudi Arabia. Notably, significant differences in digital transformation use were attributed to country and age, while gender, educational qualifications, and type of disability showed no substantial impact.