Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Serious Games
Date Submitted: Sep 19, 2024
Open Peer Review Period: Sep 19, 2024 - Nov 14, 2024
Date Accepted: Mar 7, 2025
(closed for review but you can still tweet)
Factors influencing virtual reality as a distraction tool for venipuncture in children
ABSTRACT
Background:
Virtual reality (VR) is increasingly used as a distraction tool for painful procedures in children. Studies have shown variable benefit but have not identified factors to maximize utility.
Objective:
To undertake an exploratory study to investigate factors influencing VR headset (VRH) utility for venipuncture/cannulation.
Methods:
Children admitted as inpatients were recruited and given a VRH during anticipated venipuncture/cannulation. Feedback from participant/parent/operator was obtained through questionnaires and Wong Baker Faces Scale (WBFS).
Results:
Thirteen children of median (range) age 7 (5-12) years participated in the study; 9 (69.2%) participants and parents reported a positive VR experience, found VRH comfortable and wanted repeat application for future venisection/cannulation. Five (38.4%) participants, mainly in the younger age group, removed VRH prior to procedure. There was no significant difference in WBFS pain ratings before or after the procedure, but parent and doctor/phlebotomist responses indicated VR reduced pain/anxiety, correlating with participant perception. VR distraction was more effective in those who had spent more time with VR prior to the procedure.
Conclusions:
VR as a distraction tool in children is influenced by age and pre-procedure familiarity. Multidimensional feedback from participants, parents and investigators should be obtained to test true efficacy of VR in future studies.
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