Design of a Virtual Reality Interactive Training System for Public Health Emergency Preparedness for Major Emerging Infectious Diseases: Theory and Framework

Abstract

Background Sufficient public health emergency preparedness (PHEP) is the key factor in effectively responding to and recovering from major emerging infectious diseases (MEIDs). However, in the face of MEIDs, PHEP is insufficient, so it is necessary to improve PHEP. The rapid development of virtual reality and human-computer interaction provides unprecedented opportunities for innovative educational methods. Objective This study designed a virtual reality interactive training system (VRITS) to provide an effective path for improving PHEP in the context of MEIDs so that the public can effectively respond to and recover from MEIDs. Methods This study used interactive narrative, situated learning and human-computer interaction theories as a theoretical framework to guide the design of the system. We used the literature research method and the Delphi method; consulted multidisciplinary experts, such as infectious diseases, disease control, psychology, and public health personnel, to determine the educational content framework; and set up an interdisciplinary team to construct an operating system framework for the VRITS. Results We named the VRITS “People’s War Against Pandemic.” The educational content framework includes 20 knowledge, emotion, and behavior skills in 5 aspects (cooperating with prevention and control work, improving emergency response ability, guaranteeing supplies and equipment, preparing economic resources, and maintaining physical and mental health). The operating system framework includes virtual interactive training, knowledge corner, intelligent evaluation, and community forum modules, and the core module is the virtual interactive training module. In this module, users control virtual characters to move in various scenes, and then identify and analyze the controllability and harmfulness of the evolving pandemic and select the correct prevention and control strategy to avoid infecting themselves and others. Conclusions The development and sharing of the multidisciplinary theoretical framework adopted by People’s War Against Pandemic can help us clarify the design ideas and assumptions of the VRITS; predict training results; understand the ability of training to change emergency knowledge, emergency emotion, and behavioral responses to MEIDs; and promote the development of more effective training systems based on virtual reality.

Construction of Emergency Preparedness Evaluation Index System of public for Major Emerging Infectious Diseases: A Delphi Study

“…Our research team constructed an educational content framework for emergency preparedness of public for MEIDs, and have been published [17]. On the basis of previous studies, supplemented by literature review, a preliminary draft of the evaluation index system was constructed.…”

“…COVID-19 has provided a stark example of the need for emergency preparedness in outbreak preparedness [7]. Emergency preparedness of the general public for MEIDs is de ned in this study as the capacity of individuals effectively to prevent, respond to, and recover from MEIDs, including the preparedness of emergency skills, legal compliance, avoiding secondary disasters, economic estimation, and somatopsychic health [17].…”

Application of Virtual Reality Technology in Clinical Practice, Teaching, and Research in Complementary and Alternative Medicine

“…To date, VR has successfully been applied in many clinical settings [ 1 ], such as helping to treat anxiety disorders [ 37 , 38 ], alleviating fear [ 39 ], managing pain [ 33 , 34 , 40 ], supporting physical recovery [ 41 ], and preventing falls in elderly individuals [ 42 ]. Furthermore, an interactive training system for public health emergency preparedness for major emerging infectious diseases based on VR should be established [ 43 ].…”

The People’s War Against Pandemic: protocol for a randomized control trial based on a virtual interactive training system intervention to improve the emergency preparedness of public for major emerging infectious diseases

“…The training content of those studies is limited to the training objectives of professionals and lacks the real needs of emergency preparedness of public. In view of this, we constructed a training content framework for emergency preparedness of public for MEIDs including 20 knowledge, emotion and behavior tendency covering five aspects (cooperating with prevention and control work, improving emergency response ability, guaranteeing supplies and equipment, preparing economic resources, and maintaining physical and mental health), and developed a virtual interactive training system to improve emergency preparedness of public [ 13 ].…”