Understanding how virtual reality forest experience promote physiological and psychological health for patients undergoing hemodialysis
Growing research has found that exposing patients to forest landscapes through technology improves their health. However, studies on the effects of nature therapy sessions on particularly vulnerable groups that require frequent regular treatment such as patients of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is la...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-12-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1007396/full |
| _version_ | 1811295462235308032 |
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| author | Chung-Heng Hsieh Dongying Li |
| author_facet | Chung-Heng Hsieh Dongying Li |
| author_sort | Chung-Heng Hsieh |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Growing research has found that exposing patients to forest landscapes through technology improves their health. However, studies on the effects of nature therapy sessions on particularly vulnerable groups that require frequent regular treatment such as patients of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is lacking. This study aims to understand the effects of watching panoramic videos of forest walks through virtual reality (VR) headsets on patients. We also examine the effects of the frequency of virtual exposure to forests on the physiological and psychological parameters of patients undergoing dialysis. Twenty-four dialysis patients with a mean age of 65.11 year underwent a virtual nature intervention over the course of 3 weeks. The intervention consists of 3 numbers of 6-min 360-degree nature videos delivered using VR headsets. We measured heart rate variability (HRV) and heart rate (HR) using continuous electrocardiographic (ECG) monitoring and assessed their emotional states using a questionnaire survey and in-depth interviews. The results showed that the initial 6 min of watching of the panoramic videos through VR headsets resulted in significantly reduced HR and sympathetic nerve activity and increased positive emotional responses. However, repeated VR exposure did not further improve the physiological health of the respondents. Considering these results, the use of VR headsets to watch 6-min nature videos indoors can be used to enhance the positive psychological responses among dialysis and bed-ridden patients. As this study is preliminary, future random controlled trials are needed to compare and determine the best dose, content, and delivery methods of such an intervention. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T05:32:59Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-412cb03189fa4d529d8753f3ede1f95c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-0640 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T05:32:59Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-412cb03189fa4d529d8753f3ede1f95c2022-12-22T03:00:22ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychiatry1664-06402022-12-011310.3389/fpsyt.2022.10073961007396Understanding how virtual reality forest experience promote physiological and psychological health for patients undergoing hemodialysisChung-Heng Hsieh0Dongying Li1Department of Landscape Architecture, College of Art, Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City, TaiwanDepartment of Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning, School of Architecture, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United StatesGrowing research has found that exposing patients to forest landscapes through technology improves their health. However, studies on the effects of nature therapy sessions on particularly vulnerable groups that require frequent regular treatment such as patients of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is lacking. This study aims to understand the effects of watching panoramic videos of forest walks through virtual reality (VR) headsets on patients. We also examine the effects of the frequency of virtual exposure to forests on the physiological and psychological parameters of patients undergoing dialysis. Twenty-four dialysis patients with a mean age of 65.11 year underwent a virtual nature intervention over the course of 3 weeks. The intervention consists of 3 numbers of 6-min 360-degree nature videos delivered using VR headsets. We measured heart rate variability (HRV) and heart rate (HR) using continuous electrocardiographic (ECG) monitoring and assessed their emotional states using a questionnaire survey and in-depth interviews. The results showed that the initial 6 min of watching of the panoramic videos through VR headsets resulted in significantly reduced HR and sympathetic nerve activity and increased positive emotional responses. However, repeated VR exposure did not further improve the physiological health of the respondents. Considering these results, the use of VR headsets to watch 6-min nature videos indoors can be used to enhance the positive psychological responses among dialysis and bed-ridden patients. As this study is preliminary, future random controlled trials are needed to compare and determine the best dose, content, and delivery methods of such an intervention.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1007396/fullnature360-degree nature videovirtual realityheart rate variabilitydialysis |
| spellingShingle | Chung-Heng Hsieh Dongying Li Understanding how virtual reality forest experience promote physiological and psychological health for patients undergoing hemodialysis Frontiers in Psychiatry nature 360-degree nature video virtual reality heart rate variability dialysis |
| title | Understanding how virtual reality forest experience promote physiological and psychological health for patients undergoing hemodialysis |
| title_full | Understanding how virtual reality forest experience promote physiological and psychological health for patients undergoing hemodialysis |
| title_fullStr | Understanding how virtual reality forest experience promote physiological and psychological health for patients undergoing hemodialysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Understanding how virtual reality forest experience promote physiological and psychological health for patients undergoing hemodialysis |
| title_short | Understanding how virtual reality forest experience promote physiological and psychological health for patients undergoing hemodialysis |
| title_sort | understanding how virtual reality forest experience promote physiological and psychological health for patients undergoing hemodialysis |
| topic | nature 360-degree nature video virtual reality heart rate variability dialysis |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1007396/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT chunghenghsieh understandinghowvirtualrealityforestexperiencepromotephysiologicalandpsychologicalhealthforpatientsundergoinghemodialysis AT dongyingli understandinghowvirtualrealityforestexperiencepromotephysiologicalandpsychologicalhealthforpatientsundergoinghemodialysis |