Effectiveness of Virtual Reality Interventions for Perioperative Anxiety in Adults: A Systemic Review With Meta-Analysis.
Salihah Asiri, Jane Currie, Jed Duff and 1 others
PMID 40407176WHAT IT FOUND
The combined analysis did not show a significant reduction in preoperative anxiety with virtual reality.
Individual studies often reported lower anxiety and higher satisfaction, but findings were inconsistent.
Key findings
01Pooled analysis of five trials with 385 adults did not show a significant reduction in preoperative anxiety.
02Four of five educational VR studies and five of six distraction VR studies reported significant reductions in preoperative anxiety.
03Four studies that assessed satisfaction reported higher satisfaction with VR, and only two participants in the two studies that assessed adverse effects reported mild dizziness.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The included studies varied in design, surgery type, VR content, duration, timing, and anxiety measures, making results hard to combine. The meta-analysis was based on small samples and inconsistent results. Sample sizes were small, ranging from 20 to 126 participants per study. Three of the eight randomised trials had unclear allocation concealment. Participants could not be blinded to VR, and half of the studies did not clearly state whether outcome assessors were blinded. One included study was rated low quality and was excluded from the meta-analysis. Most anxiety results relied on self-report; objective measures were limited and inconsistent. Only one study screened patients for moderate to high preoperative anxiety, so effects in higher-anxiety patients are unclear. Adverse effects were assessed in only two studies and without validated tools. Findings apply to elective surgery adults, not emergency or high-risk surgery.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude VR reliably reduces preoperative anxiety. The pooled analysis of five trials with 385 adults did not reach significance, and heterogeneity was high.