Can virtual reality ease surgery fears in patients? A Hong Kong study may have the answer
- Study in Hong Kong finds that VR-based intervention can ease preoperative stress in patients, improving their preparedness and outcomes
- New technology forecast to have wide applications, including healthcare training, patient therapy and common procedures like jabs
Patients facing surgery often experience worry that can range from unease to acute anxiety, even in cases of routine procedures. Evidence suggests that the stress from such uncertainty could itself become a risk factor for them.
A VR tour could reduce anxiety in patients unfamiliar with the medical setting, as well as equipment sounds and repeated questions from staff to confirm their identity ahead of a surgical procedure, the study showed.
The researchers, from the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) and Singapore General Hospital, published their trial results in the peer-reviewed journal JAMA Network Open on October 31.
For the study, the team recruited 74 patients who were scheduled to undergo elective surgery under general anaesthesia for the first time.
“Patients might feel anxious to see staff with surgical gowns and hear sounds in the operating theatre for the first time. The exposure therapy served as a mental rehearsal so that patients felt more at ease before the actual procedure,” said Jojo Wong Cho-lee, an associate professor at the CUHK Nethersole School of Nursing, who supervised the study.