scholarly journals Feasibility, acceptability and clinical implementation of an Immersive Virtual Reality intervention to address psychological wellbeing in children and adolescents with cancer

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle Tennant ◽  
Jane McGillivray ◽  
George Joseph Youssef ◽  
Maria McCarthy ◽  
Tara-Jane Clark

Objective: Virtual Reality (VR), a novel and highly immersive technology, offers promise in addressing potential psychological impacts of cancer treatments and hospitalization. The primary aim of this study was to examine multiple key user perspectives on the acceptability and feasibility of an Immersive VR therapeutic intervention for use with hospitalized oncology patients. Secondary aims were to identify issues and opportunities related to the adoption and clinical implementation of VR in pediatric oncology settings. Methods: The study was conducted at the Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne, Australia. Thirty multidisciplinary oncology healthcare professionals (HCPs) participated in an initial test of VR intervention usability (Stage 1). Ninety oncology inpatients (7-19 years) and their parent caregivers participated in a pilot randomized controlled study to examine the effectiveness of an Immersive VR therapeutic intervention (Stage 2). This mixed methods study reports Stage 1 & 2 quantitative and qualitative data related to VR feasibility and acceptability. Results: Results indicate favorable perceptions from HCPs with respect to ease of use and usefulness of VR, and had positive intentions to use it in the future. Parent caregivers reported highly acceptability of VR for their hospitalized child. Patients reported high satisfaction of the VR intervention within minimal adverse effects. Barriers and facilitators to VR use with seriously ill children and specific recommendations for content development were elicited. Conclusion: This study shows there are several potential clinical uses for Immersive VR intervention, beyond medical procedural distraction, to support psychological adjustment to hospitalization and patient quality of life.

2020 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 265-277
Author(s):  
Michelle Tennant ◽  
Jane McGillivray ◽  
George J. Youssef ◽  
Maria C. McCarthy ◽  
Tara-Jane Clark

Objective: Virtual reality (VR), a novel and highly immersive technology, offers promise in addressing potential psychological impacts of cancer treatments and hospitalization. The primary aim of this study was to examine multiple key user perspectives on the acceptability and feasibility of an Immersive VR therapeutic intervention for use with hospitalized patients with cancer. Secondary aims were to identify issues and opportunities related to the adoption and clinical implementation of VR in pediatric oncology settings. Method: The study was conducted at The Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH), Melbourne, Australia. Thirty multidisciplinary oncology health care professionals participated in an initial test of VR intervention usability (Stage 1). Ninety oncology inpatients (7-19 years) and their parent caregivers participated in a pilot randomized controlled study to examine the effectiveness of an Immersive VR therapeutic intervention (Stage 2). This mixed methods study reports Stages 1 and 2 quantitative and qualitative data related to VR feasibility and acceptability. Results: Results indicate favorable perceptions from health care professionals with respect to ease of use and usefulness of VR, and had positive intentions to use it in the future. Parent caregivers reported high acceptability of VR for their hospitalized child. Patients reported high satisfaction of the VR intervention within minimal adverse effects. Barriers and facilitators to VR use with seriously ill children and specific recommendations for content development were elicited. Conclusion: This study shows that there are several potential clinical uses for Immersive VR intervention, beyond medical procedural distraction, to support psychological adjustment to hospitalization and patient quality of life.


2018 ◽  
Vol 35 (6) ◽  
pp. 406-416 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathryn A. Birnie ◽  
Yalinie Kulandaivelu ◽  
Lindsay Jibb ◽  
Petra Hroch ◽  
Karyn Positano ◽  
...  

Purpose: Needle procedures are among the most distressing aspects of pediatric cancer-related treatment. Virtual reality (VR) distraction offers promise for needle-related pain and distress given its highly immersive and interactive virtual environment. This study assessed the usability (ease of use and understanding, acceptability) of a custom VR intervention for children with cancer undergoing implantable venous access device (IVAD) needle insertion. Method: Three iterative cycles of mixed-method usability testing with semistructured interviews were undertaken to refine the VR. Results: Participants included 17 children and adolescents (8-18 years old) with cancer who used the VR intervention prior to or during IVAD access. Most participants reported the VR as easy to use (82%) and understand (94%), and would like to use it during subsequent needle procedures (94%). Based on usability testing, refinements were made to VR hardware, software, and clinical implementation. Refinements focused on increasing responsiveness, interaction, and immersion of the VR program, reducing head movement for VR interaction, and enabling participant alerts to steps of the procedure by clinical staff. No adverse events of nausea or dizziness were reported. Conclusions: The VR intervention was deemed acceptable and safe. Next steps include assessing feasibility and effectiveness of the VR intervention for pain and distress.


2021 ◽  
pp. 103858
Author(s):  
Alla Machulska ◽  
Tanja Joan Eiler ◽  
Kristian Kleinke ◽  
Armin Grünewald ◽  
Rainer Brück ◽  
...  

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 161
Author(s):  
Luana Hilario de Meireles Lima ◽  
Diego Santos Fagundes ◽  
Miguel Furtado Menezes ◽  
Maiara Lazaretti Rodrigues Do Prado ◽  
Michele Thais Favero

Os déficits de equilíbrio postural podem levar a limitações nas atividades de vida diária, reduzindo a autonomia e aumentando o risco de quedas dos indivíduos. A fisioterapia dispõe de uma variedade de recursos que podem ser utilizados para a reabilitação do equilíbrio postural, e a realidade virtual é um dos recursos que vem sendo utilizado com este objetivo, pois através de repetição, feedback e motivação, pode proporcionar ao usuário maior controle do equilíbrio postural. Objetivo: Revisar a literatura existente sobre os efeitos das intervenções com jogos de realidade virtual na reabilitação de déficits de equilíbrio postural. Método: Foi realizada uma revisão de literatura utilizando Descritores em Ciências da Saúde (DECs), com análise de publicações impressas em livros do acervo da Biblioteca Júlio Bordignon da Faculdade de Educação e Meio Ambiente – FAEMA, e consulta de trabalhos indexados e publicados nas bases de dados LILACS, SCIELO, PubMed e Google Acadêmico. Considerações Finais: Os estudos analisados apontam que a intervenção terapêutica com o uso da realidade virtual como uma ferramenta tecnológica para a reabilitação do equilíbrio postural mostrou ser de grande importância e poderia auxiliar as terapias tradicionais, no entanto, mais estudos serão necessários para entender qual é o mecanismo pelo qual a realidade virtual atua melhorando o equilíbrio postural. ABSTRACT: Postural balance deficits can lead to limitations in activities of daily living, reducing autonomy and increasing the risk of falls of individuals. Physiotherapy has a variety of resources that can be used for the rehabilitation of postural balance, and virtual reality is one of the resources that has been used with this objective, because through repetition, feedback and motivation can provide the user greater control of the postural balance. Aim: To review the existing literature on the effects of interventions with virtual reality games in the rehabilitation of postural balance deficits. Method: A review of the literature was performed with Descritores em Ciências da Saúde (DECs) an analysis of publications printed on books from the Júlio Bordignon Library of the Faculdade de Educação e Meio Ambiente - FAEMA, and confer of papers indexed and published in the databases LILACS, SCIELO, PubMed and Google Scholar. Conclusions:  The studies analyzed indicate that therapeutic intervention with the use of virtual reality as a technological tool for the rehabilitation of postural balance has been shown to be of great importance and could help traditional therapies; however, further studies will be necessary to understand the mechanism by which virtual reality works by improving postural balance.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hyun Sik Moon ◽  
Hyeon Jeong Yoon ◽  
Sang Woo Park ◽  
Chae Yeon Kim ◽  
Mu Seok Jeong ◽  
...  

Abstract Purpose: To study the usefulness of virtual reality (VR) based training for diagnosing strabismusMethods: Fourteen ophthalmology residents performed at least 30 VR training sessions to diagnose esotropia and exotropia. Examinations of real patients with esotropia or exotropia before and after the VR training were video-recorded and presented to a strabismus expert to assess accuracy and performance scores for measuring the deviation angle and diagnosing strabismus with anonymization. A feedback survey regarding the usefulness and ease of use of the VR application was conducted for participants.Results: The mean age of 14 ophthalmology residents, including 10 men and 4 women, was 29.7 years. Before VR training, participants showed a mean accuracy score of 14.50 ± 5.45 and performance score of 9.64 ± 4.67 for measuring the deviation angle and diagnosing strabismus in real patients with strabismus. After VR training, they showed a significantly improved accuracy score of 22.14 ± 4.37 (p = 0.012) and performance score of 15.50 ± 1.99 (p = 0.011). According to the survey, most participants agreed on the usefulness of VR application.Conclusions: This study suggests that VR based training improves ophthalmology residents’ clinical diagnostic skills for strabismus in a short period.


2021 ◽  
pp. 026921632110412
Author(s):  
Hunter Groninger ◽  
Diana Stewart ◽  
Julia M Fisher ◽  
Eshetu Tefera ◽  
James Cowgill ◽  
...  

Background: Hospitalized patients with advanced heart failure often experience acute and/or chronic pain. While virtual reality has been extensively studied across a wide range of clinical settings, no studies have yet evaluated potential impact on pain management on this patient population. Aim: To investigate the impact of a virtual reality experience on self-reported pain, quality-of-life, general distress, and satisfaction compared to a two-dimensional guided imagery active control. Design: Single-center prospective randomized controlled study. The primary outcome was the difference in pre- versus post-intervention self-reported pain scores on a numerical rating scale from 0 to 10. Secondary outcomes included changes in quality-of-life scores, general distress, and satisfaction with the intervention. Setting/participants: Between October 2018 and March 2020, 88 participants hospitalized with advanced heart failure were recruited from an urban tertiary academic medical center. Results: Participants experienced significant improvement in pain score after either 10 minutes of virtual reality (change from pre- to post −2.9 ± 2.6, p < 0.0001) or 10 minutes of guided imagery (change from pre- to post −1.3 ± 1.8, p = 0.0001); the virtual reality arm experienced a 1.5 unit comparatively greater reduction in pain score compared to guided imagery ( p = 0.0011). Total quality-of-life and general distress scores did not significantly change for either arm. Seventy-eight participants (89%) responded that they would be willing to use the assigned intervention again. Conclusion: Virtual reality may be an effective nonpharmacologic adjuvant pain management intervention in hospitalized patients with heart failure. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov database (NCT04572425).


2021 ◽  
pp. e20210009
Author(s):  
Katherine McCaw ◽  
Andrew West ◽  
Colleen Duncan ◽  
Danielle Frey ◽  
Felix Duerr

The COVID-19 pandemic has catalyzed the use of novel teaching modalities to enhance the provision of remote veterinary education. In this study, we describe the use of immersive virtual reality (iVR) as a teaching aid for veterinary medicine students during their orthopedics clinical rotation. Student sentiments were assessed using voluntary electronic surveys taken by veterinary students before and after the rotation. The most noteworthy benefits students reported were improved engagement with the course content, information retention, radiographic interpretation, and clinical reasoning skills. Obstacles encountered during the initial stages of the program included financial and temporal investment in equipment and content development, technical troubleshooting, and motion sickness. Though it is unlikely that iVR will ever fully replace hands-on learning experiences, it presents an educational opportunity to supplement traditional learning methods, motivate students, and fill information gaps. As iVR technology continues to evolve and improve, potential applications in the veterinary curriculum grow, making the modality’s use progressively more advantageous. Although this study describes its application in an orthopedic setting, the versatility of the iVR modality lends the potential for it to be implemented in a number of clinical and didactic settings.


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