Virtual Reality Meditation for Fatigue in Persons With Rheumatoid Arthritis: Mixed Methods Pilot Study

Area of Science:

• Rheumatology
• Digital Health
• Mind-Body Medicine

Background:

• Effective symptom management is crucial for individuals with chronic diseases like rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
• While pharmacologic advances have reduced RA inflammation, fatigue remains a prevalent issue for up to 70% of patients.
• Virtual reality (VR) technologies offer new avenues for health interventions, yet VR-delivered meditation (VRM) for RA fatigue is understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility of a study protocol utilizing VRM for RA fatigue management.
• To determine the acceptability of VRM among outpatients with RA.
• To identify barriers and contextual factors influencing VRM use in RA patients.

Main Methods:

• A convergent, mixed methods design was employed with adult RA patients.
• Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System (PROMIS) measures for fatigue, depression, anxiety, pain, and function were assessed over 4 weeks.
• Semistructured interviews explored participant experiences with RA, fatigue, and VRM.

Main Results:

• 13 participants completed the study, with high adherence to surveys and interviews.
• Participants used VRM an average of 8.9 times; 92% found it enjoyable or recommended it.
• Significant decreases were observed in PROMIS fatigue, depression, anxiety, and pain behavior, with improvements in physical function and mood.

Conclusions:

• The VRM study protocol demonstrated feasibility and acceptability among RA outpatients.
• Addressing identified barriers and contextual factors is essential for successful VRM intervention deployment.
• VRM shows promise as an adjunctive therapy for managing fatigue and other symptoms in rheumatoid arthritis.