Using virtual reality in the development of an index-engine of physical and emotional sustainability

Nowadays, there is a growing need for rehabilitation associated with demographic changes and health trends, with an increase in the prevalence of non-communicable diseases and an aging population. Although well-being is classically associated with a set of physical activities, the reality of today’s society often shows that there is a lack of time available to develop activities that promote well-being. This fact is aggravated in aging populations by less mobility and greater isolation. In this domain, information and communication technologies have greatly contributed to helping healthcare providers to develop new understanding, measurement and action strategies that promote the physical and emotional well-being of their patients. Accordingly, the role of Virtual Reality has been shown to be promising for the generation of well-being. This article, as part of a broader funding project, reviews the state of the art of the role that Virtual Reality has played in the promotion of well-being, being an exercise of conceptualization that converges in the proposal of a conceptual model - an Index-Engine of Physical and Emotional Sustainability, which will be prototyped and field tested in the future.This article is a result of the project “GreenHealth - Digital strategies in biological assets to improve well-being and promote green health” (Norte-01-0145-FEDER-000042), supported by Norte Portugal Regional Operational Programme (NORTE 2020), under the PORTUGAL 2020 Partnership Agreement, through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)