Abstract
Objectives: The primary objective of this evaluation is to determine the impact of virtual reality (VR) distraction on acute and chronic pain in Veterans within the Veterans Affairs Health Care System (VA). A secondary objective is to determine the impact of VR on the experience of stress and anxiety in Veterans utilizing VR for the indication of pain. A third objective is to develop an understanding of the Veteran experience of using VR in a healthcare setting.Methods: This prospective, pretest-posttest mixed methods assessment was performed at a VA medical center from August 30, 2019 to November 23, 2020. VR experiences lasted between 10 and 30 min utilizing an immersive head-mounted display with multiple, autonomously chosen virtual environments. Qualitative data was collected concurrently to provide context to quantitative measures which included pain scores and stress/anxiety levels. Data from 79 participants was included in this analysis. Data included pre- and post-VR session Defense and Veterans Pain Rating Scale and stress/anxiety levels.Results: Results for the cohort demonstrated a statistically significant decrease in pain intensity (p <0 .001) with an average 12% decrease in pain levels and an 92% reduction in anxiety for those in concurrent pain.Conclusion: VR as a non-pharmacological adjunct or alternative modality, appears to be a viable option for improving pain management and reducing anxiety in Veteran populations across various age ranges, and levels of acuity and chronicity. VR was found to be an effective distraction from pain, a pleasurable experience for the majority, and opened the door to other non-pharmacological modalities in a Veteran population.
Highlights
There is a growing interest in virtual reality (VR) interventions as a non-pharmacological adjunct or alternative for pain management (Trost et al, 2021)
Veterans age 40 to 85 + account for 85% of the entire Veteran population nationally
To understand if the VR session impacted specific Veterans groups differently, the pre and post Defense and Veterans Pain Rating Scale (DVPRS) pain scale was grouped by age (20–39, 40–59, etc), gender, level of care, acute/chronic pain designation, recent surgery designation, and pre-VR pain category
Summary
There is a growing interest in virtual reality (VR) interventions as a non-pharmacological adjunct or alternative for pain management (Trost et al, 2021). VR immerses users in computer-generated, three-dimensional interactive environments by simultaneously engaging visual, auditory, and sometimes tactile senses (Hoffman et al, 2006; Indovina et al., 2018; Tack, 2019). VR technology provides a sense of immersion (sensorial fidelity of the technology) and presence (the perception of being physically present in the virtual environment) to decrease adverse outcomes such as pain and anxiety (Hoffman et al, 2006; Indovina et al., 2018; Tack, 2019). In light of the current opioid overdose death crisis, there is an urgent need for implementation of noninvasive complementary and alternative modalities for the treatment of pain, both acute and chronic
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