Cooperative Virtual Reality Gaming for Anxiety and Pain Reduction in Pediatric Patients and Their Caregivers During Painful Medical Procedures: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The hospital experience is often marked by fear and pain, particularly for children undergoing medical procedures. Sedation is commonly used to alleviate patient anxiety, but it poses additional health risks. Caregivers, usually the parents, also experience emotional distress during the child's hospital stay, which can further exacerbate the child's anxiety and pain. While various interventions exist to ease patient distress, few consider the emotional well-being of caregivers.

Objective

This study aims to explore the effectiveness of a cooperative virtual reality (VR) game as a novel nonpharmacological solution to reduce anxiety and pain for both pediatric patients and their caregivers during medical procedures. Specifically, we aim to investigate whether the VR

SUBMITTER: Liszio S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11997540 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature