Assessing Interest and Educational Gaps in AI and Robotics Applications for Elderly Care Among Healthcare Students

The global integration of AI and robotics (AI/R) in elderly care has immense potential, but significant educational gaps persist, especially in developing countries. To address this, we surveyed 188 undergraduate healthcare students in Vietnam in June 2023. Our aim was to assess their interest in AI/R applications in elderly care and identify educational deficiencies. Using a Likert-style questionnaire with two scales (AI non-physical work and robotic physical work), we found that a majority of respondents showed keen interest in AI/R in elderly care, despite lacking formal education on these topics. Regarding AI non-physical work, the students found applications like communication support with medical staff (M=3.9, SD=0.83), controlling lights and devices (M=3.9, SD=0.81), and providing patient reminders (M=3.89, SD=0.84) highly applicable. Regarding robotic physical work, they considered applications such as heavy lifting assistance (M=3.88, SD=0.84), room/house cleaning (M=3.86, SD=0.84), and patient feeding (M=3.81, SD=0.83) highly relevant. These findings highlight the urgent need to address the lack of formal AI/R education for undergraduate healthcare students in Vietnam. Bridging this knowledge gap is crucial to equip future healthcare professionals with the skills to leverage AI/R technologies effectively in elderly care and enhance healthcare services in the country.

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