Extended reality (XR) interventions have the potential to benefit patients undergoing elective cardiac surgical and interventional procedures. However, there are no systematic reviews with meta-analyses to guide clinical care.
To critically evaluate the evidence on the effectiveness of XR interventions on patient anxiety and pain and other associated outcomes.
Systematic review and meta-analysis following the PRISMA 2020 statement.
A systematic search of five databases (CENTRAL, CINAHL, MEDLINE, PsycInfo, Scopus) from inception to July 2023.
Screening and data extraction was conducted independently by multiple reviewers. Stata (Version 17) was used to conduct meta-analyses for patient anxiety and pain. Secondary patient outcomes were summarised in a synthesis. The Cochrane Risk of Bias (Version 2) tool was applied to trials and the NHLBI Study Quality Assessment tools to all other study designs.
Of the 3372 records identified, 22 were included, 10 of which were eligible for inclusion in the meta-analyses. Fifty-seven percent of randomised trials were rated as high risk of bias. Virtual reality (VR) was the only XR technology evaluated. VR significantly reduced pre-procedural anxiety (standardised mean difference: −1.29; 95% confidence interval − 1.96, −0.62, p < 0.001), and peri-procedural anxiety (standardised mean difference: −0.50; 95% confidence interval − 0.83, −0.18, p < 0.003) but did not reduce pain levels, compared with usual care. VR increased pre-procedural knowledge and postsurgical physical and pulmonary function. VR interventions may also improve emotional wellbeing, care delivery and physiological outcomes, but evidence was inconsistent.
XR potentially benefits cardiac patients undergoing elective invasive procedures and surgery by reducing pre- and peri-procedural anxiety and increasing procedural knowledge and physical function.
Cardiac nurses' role can be supported by VR interventions to improve the patient experience and several aspects of patient care.
Not applicable as this is a systematic review.
To explore the cognitive representations and emotional responses to living with chronic heart failure of people receiving limited community disease management.
Individuals living with heart failure face self-care and emotional challenges due to the overwhelming nature of adapting to lifestyle changes, particularly in subtropical areas.
Qualitative descriptive. We applied Leventhal's Common Sense Model of Self-Regulation as the framework for interviews and analyses.
Twenty patients with chronic heart failure were interviewed during a hospital admission for exacerbation of their condition in a tertiary hospital in Thailand.
Analysis of the components of Leventhal's model of cognitive representations of illness revealed two themes relating to Illness Identity: (1) lack of knowledge of the diagnosis and how to recognise symptoms of the disease, and (2) recognition of symptoms of an exacerbation of CHF was based on past experience rather than education. These resulted in delays responding to cardiac instability and confusion about the intent of treatment. Participants recognised the chronicity of their disease but experienced it as an unrelenting cycle of relative stability and hospitalisations. Perceived Controllability was low. Two themes were: (1) Low perceived trust in the efficacy of medical treatment and lifestyle changes, and (2) Low perceived trust in their ability to comply with recommended lifestyle changes. The Consequences were significant emotional distress and high burden of disease. The two themes of emotional responses were (1) Frustration and hopelessness with the uncertainty and unpredictability of the disease, and (2) Sense of loss of independence, functional capacity and participation in life's activities.
Chronically ill patients need support to understand their illness and make better treatment and lifestyle decisions. Improving patients' self-efficacy to manage treatment and symptom fluctuations has the potential to improve their mental well-being and minimise the impact of their condition on suffering and participation in employment and community.
Leventhal's Common Sense Model of Self-Regulation can be used to examine cognitive and emotional elements of illness perceptions, which link to individuals' ability to make informed decisions about disease management and influence health behaviours. Understanding illness perceptions underpins strategies for enhancing and sustaining self-management behaviours.
The study findings accentuate the need to establish long-term condition support programs in low-middle income countries where the burden of heart failure is increasing exponentially.
The Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) guideline was used to explicitly and comprehensively report our qualitative research.
Patients contributed to the conduct of the study by participating in the data collection via face-to-face interviews.