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Virtual Reality: Is It Helping Children Cope with Fear and Pain During Vaccination?

BACKGROUND: Virtual reality (VR) is an innovative distraction technology in health care, but little is known about this topic in Saudi Arabia. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of using VR to reduce pain and fear among children during vaccination. METHODS: It is a cross-sectional...

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Autores principales: Althumairi, Arwa, Sahwan, Maryam, Alsaleh, Sawsan, Alabduljobar, Zinab, Aljabri, Duaa
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: Dove 2021
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8464586/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/34584419
http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/JMDH.S327349
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author Althumairi, Arwa
Sahwan, Maryam
Alsaleh, Sawsan
Alabduljobar, Zinab
Aljabri, Duaa
author_facet Althumairi, Arwa
Sahwan, Maryam
Alsaleh, Sawsan
Alabduljobar, Zinab
Aljabri, Duaa
author_sort Althumairi, Arwa
collection PubMed
description BACKGROUND: Virtual reality (VR) is an innovative distraction technology in health care, but little is known about this topic in Saudi Arabia. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of using VR to reduce pain and fear among children during vaccination. METHODS: It is a cross-sectional study design. A total of 104 children (ages 4–6 years) receiving routine vaccinations in a single primary health care in Eastern Region, Saudi Arabia, participated in the study and grouped to a VR technology intervention group or vaccination as usual without VR distraction. The primary outcome is the difference in the child’s self-rated fear and pain scores between those who have been vaccinated with or without VR distraction, measured by the two validated international facial expressions scales Wong–Baker FACES Pain Scale and Children’s Fear Scale. RESULTS: In the two-month study period, 53 children were vaccinated using the VR technology and 50 children were vaccinated without VR. Bivariate analysis showed a significantly lower pain score among the VR group ([Image: see text] =1.36, SD 2.06) compared with the group without VR ([Image: see text] =6.90, SD 3.47) (P-value < 0.001). Similarly, fear score was lower in the VR group ([Image: see text] =0.64, SD 0.92) compared with the group without VR ([Image: see text] =2.88, SD1.55) (P < 0.001). In multivariable regression models adjusted for age and gender, children vaccinated using the VR technology had significantly lower pain and fear scores compared with those who were vaccinated as usual without VR distraction. CONCLUSION: VR technology showed a positive impact on reducing pain and fear among children aged 4–6 years during vaccination. Policymakers are encouraged to expand the use of this distraction tool in primary health centers to improve the vaccination experience among children.
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spelling pubmed-84645862021-09-27 Virtual Reality: Is It Helping Children Cope with Fear and Pain During Vaccination? Althumairi, Arwa Sahwan, Maryam Alsaleh, Sawsan Alabduljobar, Zinab Aljabri, Duaa J Multidiscip Healthc Original Research BACKGROUND: Virtual reality (VR) is an innovative distraction technology in health care, but little is known about this topic in Saudi Arabia. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of using VR to reduce pain and fear among children during vaccination. METHODS: It is a cross-sectional study design. A total of 104 children (ages 4–6 years) receiving routine vaccinations in a single primary health care in Eastern Region, Saudi Arabia, participated in the study and grouped to a VR technology intervention group or vaccination as usual without VR distraction. The primary outcome is the difference in the child’s self-rated fear and pain scores between those who have been vaccinated with or without VR distraction, measured by the two validated international facial expressions scales Wong–Baker FACES Pain Scale and Children’s Fear Scale. RESULTS: In the two-month study period, 53 children were vaccinated using the VR technology and 50 children were vaccinated without VR. Bivariate analysis showed a significantly lower pain score among the VR group ([Image: see text] =1.36, SD 2.06) compared with the group without VR ([Image: see text] =6.90, SD 3.47) (P-value < 0.001). Similarly, fear score was lower in the VR group ([Image: see text] =0.64, SD 0.92) compared with the group without VR ([Image: see text] =2.88, SD1.55) (P < 0.001). In multivariable regression models adjusted for age and gender, children vaccinated using the VR technology had significantly lower pain and fear scores compared with those who were vaccinated as usual without VR distraction. CONCLUSION: VR technology showed a positive impact on reducing pain and fear among children aged 4–6 years during vaccination. Policymakers are encouraged to expand the use of this distraction tool in primary health centers to improve the vaccination experience among children. Dove 2021-09-21 /pmc/articles/PMC8464586/ /pubmed/34584419 http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/JMDH.S327349 Text en © 2021 Althumairi et al. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/This work is published and licensed by Dove Medical Press Limited. The full terms of this license are available at https://www.dovepress.com/terms.php and incorporate the Creative Commons Attribution – Non Commercial (unported, v3.0) License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) ). By accessing the work you hereby accept the Terms. Non-commercial uses of the work are permitted without any further permission from Dove Medical Press Limited, provided the work is properly attributed. For permission for commercial use of this work, please see paragraphs 4.2 and 5 of our Terms (https://www.dovepress.com/terms.php).
spellingShingle Original Research
Althumairi, Arwa
Sahwan, Maryam
Alsaleh, Sawsan
Alabduljobar, Zinab
Aljabri, Duaa
Virtual Reality: Is It Helping Children Cope with Fear and Pain During Vaccination?
title Virtual Reality: Is It Helping Children Cope with Fear and Pain During Vaccination?
title_full Virtual Reality: Is It Helping Children Cope with Fear and Pain During Vaccination?
title_fullStr Virtual Reality: Is It Helping Children Cope with Fear and Pain During Vaccination?
title_full_unstemmed Virtual Reality: Is It Helping Children Cope with Fear and Pain During Vaccination?
title_short Virtual Reality: Is It Helping Children Cope with Fear and Pain During Vaccination?
title_sort virtual reality: is it helping children cope with fear and pain during vaccination?
topic Original Research
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8464586/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/34584419
http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/JMDH.S327349
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