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Doctor-Led VR and Medical Games for Perioperative Fear in Pediatric Urology: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Fenfen Zhang1, Huishuang Huang1, Shuangli Zheng1
1Department of Pediatric Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China.
Insights
A new doctor-led intervention using virtual reality (VR) and medical games significantly reduced fear and anxiety in children undergoing urological surgery. This approach also improved medical compliance and parental satisfaction.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Surgery
- Medical Psychology
- Health Technology
Background:
- Perioperative fear and anxiety are common in pediatric patients undergoing surgery.
- Effective interventions are needed to improve patient compliance and family satisfaction.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate a doctor-led interdisciplinary intervention integrating immersive virtual reality (VR) and interactive medical games.
- To assess the intervention's impact on reducing perioperative fear and anxiety.
- To determine effects on medical compliance and parental satisfaction in children aged 5-12 undergoing elective pediatric urological surgery.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective cohort study of 120 children (60 intervention, 60 control) using propensity score matching.
- Intervention group received VR and medical game education alongside conventional care.
- Fear and anxiety assessed using validated scales (CMFS, SCAS-S); medical compliance and parental satisfaction were secondary outcomes.
Main Results:
- The VR and medical game intervention group showed significantly lower fear (CMFS) and anxiety (SCAS-S) scores compared to the control group.
- Medical compliance rates were higher in the intervention group (93.3% vs. 75.0%).
- Parental satisfaction was also significantly enhanced in the intervention group (P<0.05).
Conclusions:
- A combined VR and medical game intervention effectively reduces perioperative fear and anxiety in pediatric urological surgery patients.
- This approach shows promise for improving medical compliance and family satisfaction.
- The intervention offers significant clinical value for psychological management in pediatric surgical care.
Objective:
To evaluate whether a doctor-led interdisciplinary intervention integrating immersive virtual reality (VR) panoramic preview and interactive medical games is associated with reduced perioperative fear and anxiety, improved medical compliance, and enhanced parental satisfaction in children aged 5-12 years undergoing elective pediatric urological surgery.
Methods:
A retrospective cohort study was conducted on 120 eligible children treated between January and December 2024. Participants were divided into a control group receiving conventional preoperative education and nursing care (n=60) and a research group receiving additional VR and medical game intervention (n=60). Propensity score matching (PSM) was applied to balance potential baseline confounding factors. Fear was assessed with the Children's Medical Fear Scale (CMFS) (0-4 points per item, 5-level scoring, Cronbach's α=0.852). Anxiety was measured with the Spence Children's Anxiety Scale-Short Version (SCAS-S) (1-4 points per item, 4-level scoring, Cronbach's α=0.83). Medical compliance and parental satisfaction were also evaluated as secondary outcomes.
Results:
After intervention, the research group demonstrated significantly lower CMFS (18.5±3.2 vs. 25.8±4.5) and SCAS-S (22.3±4.1 vs. 30.7±5.3) scores, higher medical compliance rate (93.3% vs. 75.0%), and greater parental satisfaction compared with the control group (all P<0.05).
Conclusion:
The doctor-led combined VR and medical game intervention is associated with reduced perioperative fear and anxiety, improved medical compliance, and enhanced family satisfaction, showing promising clinical value for perioperative psychological management in pediatric urological surgery.
