Use of Virtual Reality to Distract From Pain and Anxiety

Area of Science:

• Oncology Nursing
• Pain Management
• Digital Health Interventions

Background:

• Bone marrow aspiration and biopsy procedures are often associated with significant patient pain and anxiety.
• Current pain and anxiety management strategies primarily rely on pharmacologic treatments.
• Non-pharmacologic interventions are being explored to complement or replace traditional methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of a virtual reality (VR) intervention in alleviating pain and anxiety during bone marrow aspiration and biopsy.
• To compare the outcomes of VR intervention with standard care in an outpatient cancer center setting.

Main Methods:

• A quasiexperimental study involving 97 adult patients undergoing bone marrow aspiration and biopsy.
• Participants were allocated to either an experimental group (VR goggles) or a control group (standard treatment).
• Pain, anxiety, vital signs, and medication use were measured pre- and post-procedure, with statistical analyses including t tests and chi-square tests.

Main Results:

• No statistically significant difference in pain and anxiety reduction was observed between the VR group and the control group.
• Both the experimental (VR) and control groups demonstrated a reduction in pain and anxiety levels from pre- to post-procedure.
• The study suggests VR goggles are a feasible, noninvasive option, though cost-effectiveness requires consideration.

Conclusions:

• Virtual reality presents a potential non-pharmacologic adjunct for managing procedural pain and anxiety in oncology patients.
• Further research is warranted to optimize VR interventions and assess their cost-effectiveness in clinical settings.
• Adapting VR technology for patient benefit in appropriate healthcare environments should be explored.