Virtual Reality vs. Tablet Video as an Experiential Education Platform for Pediatric Patients Undergoing Chest Radiography: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Jung-Hee Ryu,Sung-Hee Han,Sang Il Choi,Jin-Woo Park,Ji Young Kim,Hyunju Lee,Hee-Jeong Yoo

doi:10.3390/jcm10112486

Abstract

Virtual reality (VR), which offers an immersive experience, has been implemented into the education of pediatric patients to reduce peri-procedural anxiety. This randomized clinical trial evaluated the effect of VR, compared with standard video, on reducing anxiety and distress in pediatric patients undergoing chest radiography. A total of 120 children aged 4 to 8 years with scheduled chest radiography appointments were randomized into either the tablet or the VR group. Children in the tablet group experienced chest radiography indirectly with a 3 min tablet video, whereas those in the VR group received the same content via a VR experience. The distress of children was measured using the Observational Scale of Behavioral Distress (OSBD) scale. Parental presence and procedural outcomes were also recorded. The number of less distressed children (OSBD score < 5) was significantly higher in the VR group than in the tablet group (49 [81.7%]) vs. 32 [53.3%]) (p = 0.001). The OSBD scores, the need for parental presence, the procedure time, and the number of repeated procedures were all lower in the VR group. The immersive VR experience appears to decrease the degree of anxiety in children and increase the efficiency of the procedures compared with the tablet video with the same content.

Highlights

Virtual reality (VR) provides a realistic and immersive experience on a digital platform by placing the user inside a three-dimensional world
To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to evaluate the effect of VR on periprocedural distress in children and the efficiency of the procedure compared with the table video using the same content
The results of the current study suggest that pre-procedural education using VR may significantly reduce anxiety and distress in children and may reduce the need for parental presence during the chest radiography compared with the tablet video

Summary

Introduction

Virtual reality (VR) provides a realistic and immersive experience on a digital platform by placing the user inside a three-dimensional world. Pediatric patients usually suffer from anxiety and distress ahead of a procedure or surgery; the primary challenge of hospital staff is to reduce such anxiety and distress. Besides various interventions, such as premedication, parental presence and behavioral intervention [3,4], exposure therapy using video or VR is shown to be effective in controlling anxiety and distress among children before a procedure or surgery [5,6,7,8]. Exposure using video or VR allows the pediatric patients to confront the fearful or unknown situation by providing visual expectations ahead of the procedure, allowing the children to become familiar with the room and the overall process [1]

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Results

Conclusion