The Effect of Video Streaming with Virtual Reality on Anxiety and Physiological Parameters During Chemotherapy Treatment in Hematologic Malignancy Patients

Aim: The aim of this study is to determine the effect of using virtual reality glasses (VRG) on anxiety and physiological parameters in patients diagnosed with hematologic malignancies who are receiving chemotherapy for the first time. Methods: This randomized study was conducted with 100 patients receiving chemotherapy for the first time in the adult hematology clinic of a tertiary university hospital. The Patient Identification Form, State Anxiety Scale, and Physiological Parameters Monitoring Form were administered to patients in both groups before chemotherapy. After chemotherapy, only the State Anxiety Scale and Physiological Parameters Monitoring Form were reapplied. During chemotherapy treatment, the patients in the experimental group watched videos for 30 minutes using VRG. Results: Intergroup analysis has shown that the post-chemotherapy state anxiety mean scores are higher in the control group than in the experimental group (p=0.026). The post-chemotherapy state anxiety mean scores were found to be significantly lower than the pre-chemotherapy state anxiety mean scores in the experimental group (p=0.029). There was no statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of the pre-chemotherapy state anxiety mean scores (p>0.05) or in physiological parameters before and after chemotherapy. Conclusion: VRG were shown to be effective in reducing chemotherapy-related anxiety in our study; however, did not affect physiological parameters.