Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine School of Nursing, Xianyang 712000, China.
Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine School of Nursing, Xianyang 712000, China.
J Pediatr Nurs. 2024 Sep-Oct;78:e364-e374. doi: 10.1016/j.pedn.2024.07.027. Epub 2024 Jul 31.
Virtual reality (VR) is used as a novel intervention technique to alleviate uncomfortable experiences such as anxiety and pain in children. Recently, VR distraction has gained prominence in pediatric medical procedures. However, no studies have yet conducted a further quantitative analysis of the intervention effects of virtual reality exposure (VRE). This systematic review aims to analyse the effect of VRE on anxiety and pain levels in paediatric patients undergoing medical procedures.
Relevant studies were searched from four databases, including PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, and Web of Science. This systematic review has been registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO).
The meta-analysis incorporated a total of 11 articles, encompassing 1,099 pediatric patients. The results showed that VRE relieved children's anxiety [SMD = -0.61, 95% CI (-0.93, -0.28), p < 0.001], but there was no significant difference in alleviating pain in children [SMD = -1.48, 95% CI (-3.40, 0.44), p = 0.131].
The results suggest that VRE is effective in reducing children's anxiety during medical procedures. However, 7 of the 11 original studies included in this review were from the same research project, which may increase the risk of reporting bias. Also, more high-quality studies are needed in the future to verify its effectiveness for pain levels.
VRE can help children become familiar with the medical environment, overcome anxiety and fear, and learn about medical procedures in advance. This can enhance their cooperation during medical process, leading to a more positive medical experience.
虚拟现实（VR）被用作一种新的干预技术，以减轻儿童的不适体验，如焦虑和疼痛。最近，VR 分散注意力在儿科医疗程序中变得越来越突出。然而，目前还没有研究对虚拟现实暴露（VRE）的干预效果进行进一步的定量分析。本系统评价旨在分析 VRE 对接受医疗程序的儿科患者的焦虑和疼痛水平的影响。
从四个数据库（包括 PubMed、Cochrane Library、Embase 和 Web of Science）中搜索了相关研究。本系统评价已在国际前瞻性系统评价登记处（PROSPERO）中注册。
荟萃分析共纳入 11 项研究，共纳入 1099 名儿科患者。结果表明，VRE 缓解了儿童的焦虑[SMD=-0.61，95%CI（-0.93，-0.28），p<0.001]，但对缓解儿童疼痛没有显著差异[SMD=-1.48，95%CI（-3.40，0.44），p=0.131]。
结果表明，VRE 在减少儿童在医疗过程中的焦虑方面是有效的。然而，本综述中纳入的 11 项原始研究中有 7 项来自同一个研究项目，这可能会增加报告偏倚的风险。此外，未来需要更多高质量的研究来验证其对疼痛水平的有效性。
VRE 可以帮助儿童熟悉医疗环境，克服焦虑和恐惧，并提前了解医疗程序。这可以提高他们在医疗过程中的合作，从而带来更积极的医疗体验。
