The effect of Virtual Reality in reducing preoperative anxiety in patients prior to arthroscopic knee surgery: A randomised controlled trial

Anitra Robertson; Riaz Khan; Daniel Fick; Willian B. Robertson; Dg Rajitha Gunaratne; Shanil Yapa; Vanessa Bowden; Hunter Hoffman; Ramesh Rajan

doi:10.1109/SeGAH.2017.7939282

The effect of Virtual Reality in reducing preoperative anxiety in patients prior to arthroscopic knee surgery: A randomised controlled trial

Anitra Robertson, Riaz Khan, Daniel Fick, Willian B. Robertson, Dg Rajitha Gunaratne, Shanil Yapa, Vanessa Bowden, Hunter Hoffman, Ramesh Rajan

School of Psychological Science

Research output: Chapter in Book/Conference paper › Conference paper › peer-review

24 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Preoperative anxiety positively correlates with postoperative levels of pain, analgesic use and length of hospital stay. This preliminary study aimed to determine if the principle of distraction, using a relaxing Virtual Reality (VR) immersion, would reduce preoperative anxiety in patients undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery. Sixty patients were randomised into three groups (Standard care group, Virtual Reality group and iPad group). Anxiety scores (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), Galvanic Skin Response (GSR), heart rate and blood pressure were measured pre and post intervention. The Standard care group received no intervention. The iPad group watched a video slideshow of beaches around the world and the VR group experienced a virtual beach immersion. Guided relaxation audio content (via headphones) was replicated across VR and iPad groups. Planned comparisons showed a significant difference between the average GSR measures at Time 1 and Time 2 between the Standard group and VR group. GSR measures for the Standard care group increased by 54 per cent from time 1 to time 2 and the VR and iPad groups reduced slightly, demonstrating an ameliorating effect on anxiety levels. A marginal difference between the Standard care group and VR group in anxiety change scores was reported. Whilst the VR condition reduced anxiety more than Standard care in both GSR and Anxiety change score measures, it provided no significant advantage over iPad condition. In conclusion, distraction using VR and iPad temporarily reduces self-reported anxiety levels and GSR measures compared to standard care in patients prior to knee arthroscopy. Further study is required to determine how long-lasting these benefits are in a clinical setting. The continuing advancements in VR technology, including immersion quality, present an opportunity to investigate the application of VR as a 'digital pre-med'.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	2017 IEEE 5th International Conference on Serious Games and Applications for Health, SeGAH 2017
Place of Publication	Perth, WA
Publisher	IEEE, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
ISBN (Electronic)	9781509054824
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/SeGAH.2017.7939282
Publication status	Published - 5 Jun 2017
Event	5th IEEE International Conference on Serious Games and Applications for Health, SeGAH 2017 - Perth, Australia Duration: 2 Apr 2017 → 4 Apr 2017

Conference

Conference	5th IEEE International Conference on Serious Games and Applications for Health, SeGAH 2017
Country/Territory	Australia
City	Perth
Period	2/04/17 → 4/04/17

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This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1109/SeGAH.2017.7939282

Cite this

Robertson, A., Khan, R., Fick, D., Robertson, W. B., Gunaratne, D. R., Yapa, S., Bowden, V., Hoffman, H., & Rajan, R. (2017). The effect of Virtual Reality in reducing preoperative anxiety in patients prior to arthroscopic knee surgery: A randomised controlled trial. In 2017 IEEE 5th International Conference on Serious Games and Applications for Health, SeGAH 2017 Article 7939282 IEEE, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. https://doi.org/10.1109/SeGAH.2017.7939282

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title = "The effect of Virtual Reality in reducing preoperative anxiety in patients prior to arthroscopic knee surgery: A randomised controlled trial",

abstract = "Preoperative anxiety positively correlates with postoperative levels of pain, analgesic use and length of hospital stay. This preliminary study aimed to determine if the principle of distraction, using a relaxing Virtual Reality (VR) immersion, would reduce preoperative anxiety in patients undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery. Sixty patients were randomised into three groups (Standard care group, Virtual Reality group and iPad group). Anxiety scores (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), Galvanic Skin Response (GSR), heart rate and blood pressure were measured pre and post intervention. The Standard care group received no intervention. The iPad group watched a video slideshow of beaches around the world and the VR group experienced a virtual beach immersion. Guided relaxation audio content (via headphones) was replicated across VR and iPad groups. Planned comparisons showed a significant difference between the average GSR measures at Time 1 and Time 2 between the Standard group and VR group. GSR measures for the Standard care group increased by 54 per cent from time 1 to time 2 and the VR and iPad groups reduced slightly, demonstrating an ameliorating effect on anxiety levels. A marginal difference between the Standard care group and VR group in anxiety change scores was reported. Whilst the VR condition reduced anxiety more than Standard care in both GSR and Anxiety change score measures, it provided no significant advantage over iPad condition. In conclusion, distraction using VR and iPad temporarily reduces self-reported anxiety levels and GSR measures compared to standard care in patients prior to knee arthroscopy. Further study is required to determine how long-lasting these benefits are in a clinical setting. The continuing advancements in VR technology, including immersion quality, present an opportunity to investigate the application of VR as a 'digital pre-med'.",

keywords = "distraction, Preoperative anxiety, virtual reality",

author = "Anitra Robertson and Riaz Khan and Daniel Fick and Robertson, {Willian B.} and Gunaratne, {Dg Rajitha} and Shanil Yapa and Vanessa Bowden and Hunter Hoffman and Ramesh Rajan",

year = "2017",

month = jun,

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doi = "10.1109/SeGAH.2017.7939282",

language = "English",

booktitle = "2017 IEEE 5th International Conference on Serious Games and Applications for Health, SeGAH 2017",

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Robertson, A, Khan, R, Fick, D, Robertson, WB, Gunaratne, DR, Yapa, S, Bowden, V, Hoffman, H & Rajan, R 2017, The effect of Virtual Reality in reducing preoperative anxiety in patients prior to arthroscopic knee surgery: A randomised controlled trial. in 2017 IEEE 5th International Conference on Serious Games and Applications for Health, SeGAH 2017., 7939282, IEEE, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Perth, WA, 5th IEEE International Conference on Serious Games and Applications for Health, SeGAH 2017, Perth, Western Australia, Australia, 2/04/17. https://doi.org/10.1109/SeGAH.2017.7939282

The effect of Virtual Reality in reducing preoperative anxiety in patients prior to arthroscopic knee surgery: A randomised controlled trial. / Robertson, Anitra; Khan, Riaz; Fick, Daniel et al.
2017 IEEE 5th International Conference on Serious Games and Applications for Health, SeGAH 2017. Perth, WA: IEEE, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, 2017. 7939282.

Research output: Chapter in Book/Conference paper › Conference paper › peer-review

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AU - Robertson, Anitra

AU - Khan, Riaz

AU - Fick, Daniel

AU - Robertson, Willian B.

AU - Gunaratne, Dg Rajitha

AU - Yapa, Shanil

AU - Bowden, Vanessa

AU - Hoffman, Hunter

AU - Rajan, Ramesh

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N2 - Preoperative anxiety positively correlates with postoperative levels of pain, analgesic use and length of hospital stay. This preliminary study aimed to determine if the principle of distraction, using a relaxing Virtual Reality (VR) immersion, would reduce preoperative anxiety in patients undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery. Sixty patients were randomised into three groups (Standard care group, Virtual Reality group and iPad group). Anxiety scores (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), Galvanic Skin Response (GSR), heart rate and blood pressure were measured pre and post intervention. The Standard care group received no intervention. The iPad group watched a video slideshow of beaches around the world and the VR group experienced a virtual beach immersion. Guided relaxation audio content (via headphones) was replicated across VR and iPad groups. Planned comparisons showed a significant difference between the average GSR measures at Time 1 and Time 2 between the Standard group and VR group. GSR measures for the Standard care group increased by 54 per cent from time 1 to time 2 and the VR and iPad groups reduced slightly, demonstrating an ameliorating effect on anxiety levels. A marginal difference between the Standard care group and VR group in anxiety change scores was reported. Whilst the VR condition reduced anxiety more than Standard care in both GSR and Anxiety change score measures, it provided no significant advantage over iPad condition. In conclusion, distraction using VR and iPad temporarily reduces self-reported anxiety levels and GSR measures compared to standard care in patients prior to knee arthroscopy. Further study is required to determine how long-lasting these benefits are in a clinical setting. The continuing advancements in VR technology, including immersion quality, present an opportunity to investigate the application of VR as a 'digital pre-med'.

AB - Preoperative anxiety positively correlates with postoperative levels of pain, analgesic use and length of hospital stay. This preliminary study aimed to determine if the principle of distraction, using a relaxing Virtual Reality (VR) immersion, would reduce preoperative anxiety in patients undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery. Sixty patients were randomised into three groups (Standard care group, Virtual Reality group and iPad group). Anxiety scores (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), Galvanic Skin Response (GSR), heart rate and blood pressure were measured pre and post intervention. The Standard care group received no intervention. The iPad group watched a video slideshow of beaches around the world and the VR group experienced a virtual beach immersion. Guided relaxation audio content (via headphones) was replicated across VR and iPad groups. Planned comparisons showed a significant difference between the average GSR measures at Time 1 and Time 2 between the Standard group and VR group. GSR measures for the Standard care group increased by 54 per cent from time 1 to time 2 and the VR and iPad groups reduced slightly, demonstrating an ameliorating effect on anxiety levels. A marginal difference between the Standard care group and VR group in anxiety change scores was reported. Whilst the VR condition reduced anxiety more than Standard care in both GSR and Anxiety change score measures, it provided no significant advantage over iPad condition. In conclusion, distraction using VR and iPad temporarily reduces self-reported anxiety levels and GSR measures compared to standard care in patients prior to knee arthroscopy. Further study is required to determine how long-lasting these benefits are in a clinical setting. The continuing advancements in VR technology, including immersion quality, present an opportunity to investigate the application of VR as a 'digital pre-med'.

KW - distraction

KW - Preoperative anxiety

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ER -

Robertson A, Khan R, Fick D, Robertson WB, Gunaratne DR, Yapa S et al. The effect of Virtual Reality in reducing preoperative anxiety in patients prior to arthroscopic knee surgery: A randomised controlled trial. In 2017 IEEE 5th International Conference on Serious Games and Applications for Health, SeGAH 2017. Perth, WA: IEEE, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. 2017. 7939282 doi: 10.1109/SeGAH.2017.7939282

The effect of Virtual Reality in reducing preoperative anxiety in patients prior to arthroscopic knee surgery: A randomised controlled trial

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