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Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy to Decrease Anxiety Before Surgical Invasive Procedures in Hemodialysis Patients: An Interventional Study Publisher Pubmed



Hosseini T1 ; Hooshmandja M2 ; Noaparast M3 ; Mojtahedzadeh R1 ; Mohammadi A1, 4
Authors
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Authors Affiliations
  1. 1. Department of E-Learning in Medical Education, Center of Excellence for E-learning in Medical Education, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Dolatshahi Alley, Naderi St, Keshavarz Blvd, Tehran, 14166-14741, Iran
  2. 2. Department of Educational Technology in Medical Sciences, Smart University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  3. 3. Department of General Surgery, School of Medicine, Prehospital and Hospital Emergency Research Center, Imam Khomeini Hospital Complex, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  4. 4. Health Professions Education Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Source: BMC Nephrology Published:2024


Abstract

Background: Hemodialysis patients are prone to anxiety and depression due to physiological changes and psychological tensions that leave irreversible effects on the patients. In this regard, the present study was an attempt to provide a simulated situation by using virtual reality on the anxiety level of dialysis patients before performing surgical procedures. Methods: This non-equivalent groups pre-posttest quasi-experimental study was conducted in 2022 in a hemodialysis ward of Imam Khomeini General Hospital affiliated with Tehran University of Medical Sciences. The study population was patients suffering from kidney failure referred to this hospital. The participants were 30 patients selected from the study population, who were allocated into two groups (15 in each experimental and control group). The control group received routine training in the ward. The experimental group participants watched five educational virtual reality (VR) contents in addition to the routine training. They used head-mounted display VR (VR BOX headset 2.0 virtual reality glasses) to immerse in a virtual environment similar to the real world covering the experience of entering the operating room, during the surgery, and after surgery. The data gathering instrument was a valid and reliable anxiety inventory. The collected data was analyzed at a significance level of 0.05. Results: The study findings indicated that the anxiety scores of the experimental and control groups had no significant difference before intervention. However, after the intervention of virtual reality, the state and trait anxiety of the experimental group participants were significantly lower than the control group (P-value < 0.01). Conclusion: The application of VR for maintenance hemodialysis patients before invasive surgical procedures decreases patients’ anxiety. Considering the devastating and undeniable impacts of anxiety on the lives of patients referring to hemodialysis centers, the application of VR is suggested to decrease their anxiety. © 2024, The Author(s).