Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, Ohio University, Athens, OH 45071, USA.
VR Medical Solutions, Athens, OH 45701, USA.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2024 Sep 1;21(9):1163. doi: 10.3390/ijerph21091163.
Virtual reality (VR) technology has evolved from entertainment to significant applications in healthcare and education. Despite its potential, there is limited research on the role of VR in cancer care. This study investigates VR's ability to simulate the chemotherapy process, aiming to enhance patients' knowledge and mitigate anxiety associated with chemotherapy. Utilizing a two-arm, mixed-methods pre/post-survey design, the study measured changes in patients' anxiety and knowledge before and after exposure to a VR simulation. Participants ( = 267) engaged with VR simulations or interactive 360-degree videos depicting the chemotherapy process. Data analyses revealed a significant median increase in chemotherapy knowledge post-exposure to the VR content (z = 12.511, < 0.001). Demographic factSors significantly influenced perceptions of VR realism and usefulness ( < 0.05). Additionally, VR exposure was correlated with reduced anxiety levels and improved treatment expectations ( < 0.05). Participants with higher post-understanding chemotherapy scores considered VR a useful tool for managing anxiety about chemotherapy and recommended VR for other medical procedures ( < 0.001). These findings underscore VR technology's potential as a valuable tool in cancer treatment, suggesting it can enhance patient education and reduce anxiety, thereby improving patient outcomes during cancer therapy.
虚拟现实（VR）技术已经从娱乐领域发展到在医疗保健和教育领域的重要应用。尽管它具有潜力，但关于 VR 在癌症护理中的作用的研究有限。本研究调查了 VR 模拟化疗过程的能力，旨在提高患者的知识水平并减轻与化疗相关的焦虑。本研究采用两臂、混合方法的前后测设计，测量了患者在接触 VR 模拟前后焦虑和知识的变化。参与者（n=267）接触了 VR 模拟或描绘化疗过程的交互式 360 度视频。数据分析显示，接触 VR 内容后，化疗知识的中位数显著增加（z=12.511，<0.001）。人口统计学因素显著影响对 VR 真实性和有用性的看法（<0.05）。此外，VR 暴露与降低焦虑水平和改善治疗期望相关（<0.05）。化疗后理解得分较高的参与者认为 VR 是管理对化疗焦虑的有用工具，并推荐 VR 用于其他医疗程序（<0.001）。这些发现强调了 VR 技术在癌症治疗中的潜在价值，表明它可以增强患者的教育并减轻焦虑，从而改善癌症治疗期间的患者预后。
