Cucher Daniel J, Kovacs Melissa S, Clark Clarence E, Hu Charles K P
Division of Trauma and Surgical Critical Care, Dignity Health Medical Group, 45 S. Dobson Rd., Ste. 201, Chandler, AZ, 85224, USA.
Division of Trauma and Surgical Critical Care, Dignity Health Medical Group, 45 S. Dobson Rd., Ste. 201, Chandler, AZ, 85224, USA.
Injury. 2023 May;54(5):1396-1399. doi: 10.1016/j.injury.2023.01.030. Epub 2023 Jan 18.
The growing popularity of virtual reality devices and increasingly widespread distribution of VR products into the home exposes users to risk of bodily harm. Safety features are integrated into the devices themselves, but the burden of cautious use rests upon the end user. The purpose of this study is to quantify and describe the array of injuries and demographics effected by the burgeoning VR industry to inform and encourage mitigation strategies.
The National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) data was used to examine a nationwide sample of emergency department records from 2013 - 2021. Inverse probability sample weights for cases were applied to arrive at national estimates. NEISS data included consumer product injuries, patient age, sex, race and ethnicity, drug and alcohol involvement, diagnoses, injury descriptions, and emergency department disposition.
The first VR-related injury was reported in the NEISS data in 2017, and injuries were estimated to number 125. Incidents of VR-related injuries amplified as increased VR units sold, and by 2021, there was a 352% increase in VR injuries totaling a weighted estimate of 1,336 ED visits. The most common VR-related injury diagnosis is fracture (30.3%), followed by laceration (18.6%), contusion (13.9%), other (11.8%), and strain / sprain (10.0%). VR-related injuries involve the hand (12.1%), face (11.5%), finger (10.6%), and knee (9.0%), head (7.0%) and upper trunk (7.0%). Patients age 0-5 most commonly experienced injuries to the face (62.3%). Injuries in patients 6-18 were mostly to the hand (22.3%) and face (12.8%). Patients 19-54 experienced primarily injuries to the knee (15.3%), finger (13.5%), and wrist (13.3%). Patients aged 55 and older disproportionately experienced injuries in the upper trunk (49.1%) and upper arm (25.2%).
This is the first study to describe the incidence, demographics and characteristics of injuries from VR device use. Sales of home VR units continue to increase annually and the rapid increase in VR consumer injuries is being managed by emergency departments across the country. An understanding of these injuries will inform VR manufacturers, application developers, and users to promote safe product development and operation.
虚拟现实设备越来越受欢迎，VR产品在家庭中的分布也越来越广泛，这使用户面临身体伤害的风险。安全功能已集成到设备本身，但谨慎使用的责任在于终端用户。本研究的目的是量化和描述新兴VR行业造成的一系列伤害及受影响的人群特征，以便为缓解策略提供信息并鼓励采取相关策略。
利用国家电子伤害监测系统（NEISS）的数据，对2013年至2021年全国急诊科记录的样本进行检查。对病例应用逆概率抽样权重以得出全国估计数。NEISS数据包括消费品伤害、患者年龄、性别、种族和民族、药物和酒精使用情况、诊断、伤害描述以及急诊科处置情况。
2017年NEISS数据中首次报告了与VR相关的伤害，估计伤害数量为125起。随着VR设备销量的增加，与VR相关的伤害事件也有所增加，到2021年，VR伤害增加了352%，加权估计共有1336人次前往急诊科就诊。最常见的与VR相关的伤害诊断是骨折（30.3%），其次是撕裂伤（18.6%）、挫伤（13.9%）、其他（11.8%）以及拉伤/扭伤（10.0%）。与VR相关的伤害涉及手部（12.1%）、面部（11.5%）、手指（10.6%）、膝盖（9.0%）、头部（7.0%）和上躯干（7.0%）。0至5岁的患者最常出现面部受伤（62.3%）。6至18岁患者的伤害大多发生在手部（22.3%）和面部（12.8%）。19至54岁的患者主要受伤部位是膝盖（15.3%）、手指（13.5%）和手腕（13.3%）。55岁及以上的患者上躯干受伤（49.1%）和上臂受伤（25.2%）的比例过高。
这是第一项描述使用VR设备造成伤害的发生率、人群特征和特点的研究。家用VR设备的销量每年持续增长，全国各地的急诊科正在应对VR消费者伤害的快速增加。了解这些伤害情况将为VR制造商、应用程序开发者和用户提供信息，以促进安全的产品开发和操作。
