Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Formative Research
Date Submitted: Feb 2, 2023
Date Accepted: Sep 8, 2023
Virtual Reality Meditation for Fatigue in Persons with Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Mixed Methods Pilot Study
ABSTRACT
Background:
Symptom management is a cornerstone of clinical care as experiencing symptoms such as fatigue and pain is the most common reason for which individuals seek healthcare. Rapid innovations in technology have made it possible to deliver non-pharmacologic interventions that help alleviate negative symptoms and support traditional treatment pathways. Digital delivery of biofeedback, mindfulness, and cognitive behavioral therapy has allowed for streamlined administration of evidence-based treatments and encourages symptom self-management. When applied in chronic disease populations, most individuals can perform symptom self-management with proper education and training. One platform for delivering such interventions is via immersive technologies like virtual reality.
Objective:
The purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility, acceptability, and experience of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in the use of virtual reality meditation (VRM) to manage fatigue.
Methods:
The study used a convergent, mixed methods design and enrolled participants 18 years and older with a clinical diagnosis of RA (N=13). Patient Reported Outcome Measure Information System (PROMIS) measures of fatigue, depression, anxiety, pain behavior and physical function were assessed alongside the brief mood introspection scale at baseline and weekly for 4 weeks. VRM use across the four-week study period was automatically stored on headsets and later extracted for analysis.
Results:
On average, participants saw decreases in PROMIS Fatigue (-6.4 (5.1)), Depression (-5.6 (5.7)), Anxiety (-4.5 (6)), and Pain Behavior (-3.9 (5.3)) scores, and improvements in PROMIS Physical Function (1.5 (2.7)) and BMIS mood (5.3 (6.7)) over the course of this 4-week study. Most participants (92.3%) found VRM acceptable for use.
Conclusions:
While implementation of the intervention was hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic, barriers to use, and contextual factors, VRM is an acceptable intervention for managing fatigue and associated symptoms in outpatients with RA_ Clinical Trial: N/A
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