JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Routine financial activities are now conducted primarily through digital channels. Many such systems remain inaccessible to the more than 2.2 billion people globally living with vision impairment, limiting independent financial management. Constrained access can create financial strain and social disadvantage, reducing access to health enabling resources and contributing to avoidable health inequities.

Objective:

This scoping review maps evidence on the accessibility of digital financial services for individuals with visual impairment as a digital determinant of health. We synthesized barriers and facilitators, characterized study designs, settings and populations, and identified evidence gaps to inform inclusive design, digital health research priorities and policy.

Methods:

A scoping review was conducted using the Joanna Briggs Institute framework and reported in line with PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Seven databases (PubMed/MEDLINE, CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science, Business Source Complete, ProQuest, IEEE Xplore) were searched for peer-reviewed articles in English, published between 1995 and 2026. Searches featured controlled vocabulary and free-text terms structured in three conceptual blocks (visual impairment, digital financial services, and accessibility/usability). A random sample of 20% of titles/abstracts, full texts, and included studies was independently screened or charted by two reviewers to calibrate decisions; the remainder were screened and charted by a single reviewer. Data were charted using a standardized extraction form and results were synthesized descriptively and thematically.

Results:

Twenty-three studies met the inclusion criteria. Studies were conducted across 12 countries, with the largest number from India (n=7), Indonesia (n=2), Thailand (n=2) and the United States (n=2). Study designs included qualitative studies (n=6), mixed methods (n=1), cross‑sectional studies (n=4), nonrandomized experimental studies (n=2), and technical or design‑focused evaluations (n=10). One study was a large population survey (n=19,136); the remaining end-user studies had sample sizes ranging from 4 to 36 participants. Accessibility barriers were reported across all platform types, with authentication-related barriers described in 18 studies and screen reader incompatibility in 17 studies. Reported barriers included reliance on sighted assistance for tasks such as login, verification, and payments, compromising privacy and independence. Facilitators included assistive technology support, logical navigation order, non-visual feedback mechanisms and accessible authentication alternatives. Evidence mapping revealed recurrent barrier patterns across Android, iOS, and web platforms. No longitudinal or intervention-based evaluation was identified.

Conclusions:

This review provides a focused synthesis of accessibility evidence at the intersection of digital financial services and visual impairment, a domain addressed by neither prior digital accessibility reviews [21] nor financial inclusion for people with disability reviews [12]. Authentication methods, interface labeling, and navigation were identified as persistent cross-platform accessibility barriers. The findings carry implications for financial technology developers, accessibility auditors, and policymakers implementing accessibility legislation, and extend the digital determinants of health framework [7] by demonstrating how inaccessible financial technology may compound health inequities.