Impact of a Virtual Dementia Experience on Medical and Pharmacy Students’ Knowledge and Attitudes Toward People with Dementia: A Controlled Study

Abstract

The intervention had a positive impact on medical and pharmacy students' knowledge and attitudes toward people with dementia.

Use of virtual and augmented reality-based interventions in health education to improve dementia knowledge and attitudes: an integrative review

“…Users will experience the emotions and cognitive function impairments people living with dementia encounter. Another two articles 18 30 reported on Alzheimer’s Australia Victoria Virtual Dementia Experience (VDE), where an immersive multisensory, virtual simulation of light, sound, colour and visual content is projected on a 10×2 m screen, aimed for users to experience cognitive and perceptual difficulties encountered by people living with dementia. The final article on the Virtual Reality Educational project 8 conducted an intervention using the Oculus Rift headset and sensor, Leap Motion hand-tracking device and Embodied Labs programme for users to experience ageing-related macular degeneration and high-frequency hearing loss as well as conversations relating to Alzheimer’s disease and end-of-life.…”

“…Studies reviewed had a focus on improving participants’: (i) knowledge of dementia 18 34 36–40 ; (ii) attitudes towards dementia including perceived confidence and competence in care provision 17 18 20 34 36 37 39 40 ; (iii) empathy for people living with dementia 8 17 20 31 37–40 and/or (iv) understanding and awareness of people living with dementia and sensitivity towards their care needs. 16 33 36 Instruments used to measure outcomes varied across studies.…”

“…The impact of interventions involving VR and AR on dementia knowledge is mixed. Of the seven studies evaluating dementia knowledge, four found a significant improvement in participants’ knowledge of dementia from preintervention to postintervention when using the VDE, 18 DL 37 and VDT combined with dementia video, case vignette and role-play. 39 40 However, where studies involved a two-group comparison, 37 40 no significant group difference on dementia knowledge was found.…”

“…[13][14][15] As health professionals and trainees would have never personally experienced life from the perspective of someone with dementia, 14 16 and some may not have prior personal or work experience in interacting or caring for people living with dementia, many have expressed feeling underprepared to manage and care for them. [17][18][19] For this reason, the nature and approach employed when determining which form of dementia training to use is an important area for consideration in health education.…”

Qualitative evaluation of how a virtual dementia experience impacts medical and pharmacy students’ self-reported knowledge and attitudes towards people with dementia

“…Future research should address study limitations by following up students to assess the long-term benefit of the experience and whether it changed student practice; and comparing qualitative findings to quantitative evaluation of changes in student knowledge and attitudes towards people with dementia (Gilmartin-Thomas et al, 2018), as well as focus group feedback from students who did not undertake the experience (controls). Future research should also explore the impact on findings of the facilitator-guided personal reflection and group discussion over the virtual experience alone, as well as focus group participation.…”