The Effect of Using Virtual Reality on Pain and Comfort in Breast Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy

Hanie  Dahmardeh; Manizhe  Nasirizade; Taybeh  Lashkari; Habibollah  Gheysaranpour

doi:10.18502/aacc.v12i4.21790

Hanie Dahmardeh Community Nursing Research Center, Department of Medical-Surgical Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, Iran.
Manizhe Nasirizade Department of Medical Surgical Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran.
Taybeh Lashkari Community Nursing Research Center, Department of Emergency Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, Iran.
Habibollah Gheysaranpour Khatam Al Anbia Hospital, Department of Pediatric Nursing, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, Iran.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/aacc.v12i4.21790

Keywords: Virtual reality; Pain management; Chemotherapy; Patient comfort; Breast cancer; Oncology

Abstract

Background: Breast cancer can lead to pain and reduced comfort in individuals and affect their lives. Therefore, planning to maintain or improve the level of comfort and pain management in these patients with training focused on virtual reality seems necessary. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the effect of using virtual reality on pain and comfort in breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy in Zahedan.

Methods: This randomized clinical trial was conducted on 90 patients undergoing chemotherapy at Khatam Al-Anbiya Hospital in Zahedan. Participants were randomly assigned to two intervention groups (n=45) and control groups (n=45). The intervention group used Samsung Gear VR in the first 15 minutes of chemotherapy, while the control group did not receive any intervention. Data collection included the McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ) and the Hospital Comfort Questionnaire (HCQ), which were administered before and after chemotherapy. Data were analyzed using SPSS 21 software with paired and independent t-tests.

Results: The mean pain score in the intervention group decreased significantly after using VR (pre: 42.00 ± 12.99, post: 30.77 ± 11.6, p=0.0001), while no significant change was observed in the control group (p>0.05). Similarly, the comfort level in the VR group improved significantly compared to the control group (p<0.05).

Conclusion: The use of virtual reality significantly reduced pain and increased comfort in chemotherapy patients. Implementing VR as a non-pharmacological method in pain management protocols can improve the quality of life and treatment experience of cancer patients.