Virtual reality exposure therapy to decrease anxiety before surgical invasive procedures in hemodialysis patients: an...

Area of Science:

• Medical Technology
• Psychology
• Nephrology

Background:

• Hemodialysis patients experience significant anxiety and depression due to physiological and psychological stressors.
• Pre-surgical anxiety can have lasting negative impacts on the well-being of patients undergoing medical procedures.
• Virtual reality (VR) offers a novel approach to mitigate anxiety in clinical settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of virtual reality (VR) in reducing pre-surgical anxiety among hemodialysis patients.
• To compare anxiety levels in hemodialysis patients undergoing routine training versus VR-enhanced training before surgery.

Main Methods:

• A quasi-experimental study involving 30 hemodialysis patients, divided into experimental (VR) and control groups.
• The experimental group received routine training plus immersive VR content simulating surgical procedures.
• Anxiety levels were measured using a validated inventory before and after the intervention.

Main Results:

• No significant difference in pre-intervention anxiety scores between the experimental and control groups.
• Post-intervention, the experimental group showed significantly lower state and trait anxiety scores (P < 0.01).
• Virtual reality intervention demonstrated a significant anxiolytic effect in hemodialysis patients.

Conclusions:

• Virtual reality application is effective in decreasing anxiety for maintenance hemodialysis patients prior to invasive surgical procedures.
• VR is a recommended tool to manage and reduce anxiety in patients undergoing hemodialysis.
• Addressing anxiety is crucial due to its severe impact on the quality of life for hemodialysis patients.