3379 - REDUCING END-OF-LIFE ANXIETY USING A CANADIAN VIRTUAL REALITY TECHNOLOGY: USABILITY, SATISFACTION, AND PERCEIVED SAFETY IN HOSPITALIZED INDIVIDUALS RECEIVING PALLIATIVE CARE

Session: 3344 - VIRTUAL REALITY INTERVENTIONS FOR ANXIETY ACROSS THE LIFESPAN: CLINICAL APPLICATIONS IN PEDIATRIC, ADULT, AND GERIATRIC POPULATIONS
AUTHORS:
Moreno Alexander (University of Montreal, Department of Psychology ~ Montreal ~ Canada) , Rigoulat Célia (cole Universitaire de Recherche (EUR) Healthy, Université Côte d'Azur ~ Nice ~ France) , Dubois Mégan (University of Montreal, Department of Psychology ~ Montreal ~ Canada) , Pichon Capucine (Faculté de Médecine, Université Côte d'Azur ~ Nice ~ France) , Pelletier Pénelope (University of Montreal, Department of Psychology ~ Montreal ~ Canada) , Turk Céline (University of Montreal, Department of Psychology ~ Montreal ~ Canada) , Caamano Carlota (Centre de recherche de l'institut universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal, (CRIUGM) - Innovation, Technology, and Cognition (INTECOG) Laboratory ~ Montreal ~ Canada)
Abstract text:
Introduction:
Virtual reality has been used to reduce pain, diminish anxiety, and improve psychological wellbeing in palliative care. However, its use in end-of-life palliative care needs further investigation in hospital settings.


Purpose:
To explore the efficacy, usability, satisfaction, and perception of security of virtual reality content co-developed in Canada in hospitalized individuals receiving palliative care.

Method:
The virtual reality content "Come with me™" is a series of videos filmed with a 360-degree camera in 5.7K resolution by the Montreal-based company Nipper Media. Eight French-speaking hospitalized individuals receiving palliative care, with a mean age of 74.2 years (SD=13) and a mean hospital stay in palliative care of 3.8 days (SD=2.7) tested this application in an end-of-life unit in Montreal using Pico 3 goggles during a session lasting 8.7 minutes (SD=0.5) and 25 seconds (SD=1.8). They completed the 20-item State-Trait-Anxiety-Inventory (STAI-Y), the 10-item Edmonton Symptom Assessment System Revised (ESAS-r), the 10-item System Usability Scale (SUS), and 11-point visual analog scales to evaluate the user's perceived satisfaction and security with the technology.

Results:
The results of a Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test revealed a significant decrease in anxiety as measured by the STAI-Y after the VR experience, z=−2.1, n=8, p<.05, with a large effect size (r=.74). The median score on the STAI-Y decreased from before the VR experience (Md=39) to the post-VR experience with «Come with Me™» (Md=29). They also reported high levels of usability (M=79.1; SD=16.5) and satisfaction (M=7.6; SD=2.4), with low levels of risk of use (M=1.1; SD=2.1) indicating a high perception of safety.


Conclusions:
The virtual reality content "Come with me™" reduces end-of-life anxiety in hospitalized individuals in end-of-life palliative care with high levels of usability, satisfaction, and security. The preliminary results support the use of this technology in clinical practice in palliative and end-of-life care.