Michelle Tennant|Nigel Anderson|George Youssef|Laura McMillan|Renae Thorson|Greg Wheeler|Maria McCarthy
Effects of immersive virtual reality exposure in preparing pediatric oncology patients for radiation therapy
Deakin University|Murdoch Children's Research Institute|Royal Children's Hospital|Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre|University of Melbourne|Murdoch Children's Research Institute|Murdoch Children's Research Institute|Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre|Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre|University of Melbourne|Royal Children's Hospital|Murdoch Children's Research Institute|University of Melbourne
procedural anxiety children undergoing radiation therapy rt common associated poor procedural compliance increased used general anaesthesia ga emerging evidence virtual reality vr technology may reduce medical procedural distress realistic educative exposure actual procedures via virtual simulationto examine feasibility acceptability efficacy immersive vr exposure intervention aimed reducing anxiety enhancing preparedness pediatric patients undergoing radiation therapy parentsa convenience sample patients 618 years scheduled rt parent caregivers recruited consecutively 14month period patients exposed virtual simulation ct simulation phase 1 rt phase 2 prior procedures occurring preandpost vr intervention measures anxiety health literacy administered across multiple time points ga requirement following vr intervention also recordedthirty children adolescents recruited 88 participation rate high vr acceptability satisfaction reported patients parents radiation therapists minimal adverse effects associated vr vr intervention found improve childrens understanding rt procedures health literacy lower preprocedural child parental anxiety one child study required ga 333this study provides novel preliminary support utilizing vr prepare children families rt subsequent implementation vr routine paediatric rt potential improve clinical operational outcomes