Doctor, are Virtual Reality interventions effective in improving health and reducing pain in people living in long-term care?

There is some evidence that virtual reality-based interventions improve health, but more research is needed.

What is the evidence?

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

Virtual reality-based interventions vs another intervention or usual care for improving physical or mental health or pain

Outcome	Number of Studies	Effect	Quality of Evidence
Physical health	25	18 out of 25 studes found that virtual reality-based interventions improved physical health	unclear to high
Mental health	16	8 out of 16 studies found that virtual reality-based interventions improved mental health	unclear to high
Pain	2	1 out of 2 studies found that virtual reality-based interventions reduced pain	unclear to high

What kind of study was this?

This was a systematic review of 30 studies published up to September 2022.

Who? This review included 1057 adults (age 67 to 87 years) who were living in long-term care settings (assisted living facilities or nursing homes).

What? The reviewers included studies that compared virtual reality-based interventions with another intervention or usual care for improving physical or mental health or pain.

Virtual Reality-Based Interventions	vs	Another Intervention or Usual Care
Electronic equipment (e.g. computer tablet or special head-mounted display or video game device) used to make a person feel like they are in an artificial environment where they performed physical activities like bowling or boxing or balance games. In some studies, virtual reality devices were used to improve mental health through aromatherapy, reminiscence therapy, and horticultural therapy. The frequency of these activities varied from a single time to five times a week over a period of 2 weeks to 6 months.		Exercises and/or balance training without using virtual reality devices. Memory (reminiscence) therapy using a computer without virtual reality devices.

Virtual Reality-Based Interventions

Another Intervention or Usual Care

Electronic equipment (e.g. computer tablet or special head-mounted display or video game device) used to make a person feel like they are in an artificial environment where they performed physical activities like bowling or boxing or balance games.

In some studies, virtual reality devices were used to improve mental health through aromatherapy, reminiscence therapy, and horticultural therapy.

The frequency of these activities varied from a single time to five times a week over a period of 2 weeks to 6 months.

Exercises and/or balance training without using virtual reality devices.

Memory (reminiscence) therapy using a computer without virtual reality devices.

Why was this research done?

Virtual reality can make a person feel like they are in an artificial environment. Input devices such as joysticks, handheld controllers or tracking gloves tell a computer what actions the person is performing within the virtual environment. Output devices like headphones, pressure pads, and a head-mounted video display show the person the effect of their actions. Virtual reality may reduce pain by distracting the brain from pain signals, reducing fear of movement (because you have a different "body" in virtual reality), and increasing motivation to perform physical activities or mentally stimulating activities. The reviewers wanted to know if virtual reality-based interventions improve the health of people living in long-term care. They found there is some evidence that virtual reality-based interventions improve health, but more research is needed.

This Evidence Summary is based on the following article:

Li G, Li X, Chen L. Effects of virtual reality-based interventions on the physical and mental health of older residents in long-term care facilities: A systematic review. Int J Nurs Stud. 2022 Dec;136:104378. doi: 10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2022.104378. Epub 2022 Oct 10. PubMed

Published: Thursday, June 1, 2023

Please note that the information contained herein is not to be interpreted as an alternative to medical advice from a professional healthcare provider. If you have any questions about any medical matter, you should consult your professional healthcare providers, and should never delay seeking medical advice, disregard medical advice or discontinue medication based on information provided here.

This Evidence Summary was printed from the PAIN+ CPN website on 2024/12/21.

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