A Single Session of Virtual Reality Improved Tiredness, Shortness of Breath, Anxiety, Depression and Well-Being in Hospitalized Individuals with COVID-19: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Abstract

Background: In 2020, the world was surprised by the spread and mass contamination of the new Coronavirus (COVID-19). COVID-19 produces symptoms ranging from a common cold to severe symptoms that can lead to death. Several strategies have been implemented to improve the well-being of patients during their hospitalization, and virtual reality (VR) has been used. However, whether patients hospitalized for COVID-19 can benefit from this intervention remains unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate whether VR contributes to the control of pain symptoms, the sensation of dyspnea, perception of well-being, anxiety, and depression in patients hospitalized with COVID-19. Methods: A randomized, double-blind clinical trial was designed. Patients underwent a single session of VR and usual care. The experimental group (n = 22) received VR content to promote relaxation, distraction, and stress relief, whereas the control group (n = 22) received non-specific VR content. Results: The experimental group reported a significant decrease in tiredness, shortness of breath, anxiety, and an increase in the feeling of well-being, whereas the control group showed improvement only in the tiredness and anxiety. Conclusions: VR is a resource that may improve the symptoms of tiredness, shortness of breath, anxiety, and depression in patients hospitalized with COVID-19. Future studies should investigate the effect of multiple VR sessions on individuals with COVID-19.

The Effectiveness of Virtual Reality Intervention for COVID-19-Related Psychological Distress: A Systematic Review

“…Groenveld et al [ 41 ] used multimodal VR (physical, cognitive, and relaxation/distraction exercise), and the study by Vlake et al [ 43 ] used COVID-19-related ICU (Intensive Care Unit) stimuli in a virtual environment, which was the only study using an exposure therapy component. The VR intervention time per session was reported to be approximately 10 minutes in four studies [ 42 , 43 , 46 , 47 ]. Additionally, 3-minute-VR was used in one study [ 44 ] and 30-minute-VR in another study [ 41 ].…”

“…44,45 In the former two participant groups (COVID-19 patients and people who underwent strict social distancing), overall, significant improvement was reported in a wide range of psychological distress during COVID-19, ranging from stress, anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic symptoms to quality of life, supporting the efficacy of VR-based psychological intervention. However, in terms of treatment content, the studies that showed clearer effects were eclectic in that social or cognitive exercise, 46,47 or occupational therapy 42 were combined with VR intervention, making it difficult to tease the efficacy of VR apart from other therapeutic modalities. In studies that utilized VR only, 41,43 the beneficial effects were not pronounced or consistent in psychological distress (stress, anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic symptoms) or quality of life.…”

“…Among the seven studies included in the systematic review, in terms of population, three [41][42][43] out of seven studies were conducted on COVID-19 patients and two 44,45 on medical staff. Two studies 46,47 were conducted on people who had experienced strict social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic.…”

“…The VR intervention time per session was reported to be approximately 10 minutes in four studies. 42,43,46,47 Additionally, 3-minute-VR was used in one study 44 and 30-minute-VR in another study. 41 The duration of VR intervention was one week in two studies 46,47 and six weeks in 41 Only a single session was conducted in three studies, [42][43][44] and one study 45 did not accurately report the duration.…”

“…Regarding study design, five 41,[44][45][46][47] were within-subject-designed uncontrolled studies (pre-to post-intervention comparison), and two 42,43 were between-subject-designed controlled studies (intervention versus control group comparison). Among the five before-and-after studies, two studies 44,45 of COVID-19 medical staffs conducted pre-post comparisons using VR intervention only.…”