JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Although chronic pain (CP) is highly prevalent, current modalities are not sufficient in addressing the needs of people living with this condition. Pharmacological treatments for CP can have severe side effects and increase likelihood of patients overdosing or developing addiction. Behavioral treatments are often indicated for the treatment of CP, but barriers to treatment are common. Virtual reality (VR)-based interventions have shown promise as an effective and potentially accessible form of treatment for CP. However, previous research into VR interventions for people living with CP has not often included diverse populations, including people of racial and ethnic minorities and low socio-economic status.

Objective:

This study sought to gauge interest of patients with chronic pain in participating in a hypothetical study of at-home VR for CP. Patients were recruited from a low socio-economic and racially and ethnically diverse population. Additionally, the study sought to identify predictors of interest in the intervention.

Methods:

42 participants living with CP, recruited from an EMR database, a research participant database, and a pain clinic, completed surveys about demographics, pain levels, technology usage, and knowledge of VR. Bivariate testing was used to determine which, if any, of the above constructs were associated with interest in a hypothetical study of at-home VR for CP. Participants also answered an open-ended question about interest in participating in a VR intervention for CP, that were coded using a thematic analysis framework.

Results:

Despite low technology use and little knowledge and experience with VR, results showed high interest among patients in participating in a hypothetical study of at-home VR for CP. More frequent email usage and using Facebook predicted being somewhat or very interested in participating in a VR clinical trial for pain. Majority of participants cited interest due to the novelty of VR, followed by desperation for pain relief.

Conclusions:

Contrary to a comprehensive body of evidence, we did not find attitudinal barriers to participating in a clinical trial of VR. While we found that use of technology and knowledge of VR was low, interest in a virtual reality intervention for CP was high. Future, fully powered studies should seek to confirm the effectiveness of VR treatments for people with CP, especially those from lower socio-economic, and racially/ethnically diverse backgrounds.