Comparison of Efficacy of Two Methods of Virtual Reality and Multimedia System on Pain and Pain Anxiety in Burn Patient During Dressing Change.

Abstract

Abstract: Introduction: Pain is the most important factor which forces burn patients to look for the health system’s help. Pain anxiety is the common response of people after physical and emotional trauma which is reported at high levels in patients with burns. One of the non-pharmacological methods of pain and pain anxiety relief for burn patients is virtual reality, which is a challenging technique because virtual reality headset itself may cause claustrophobia and anxiety followed by the cycle of anxiety and pain via creating a closed space. The present study is aimed to determine the effect of both methods of virtual reality and multimedia system on the burn patients' pain and pain anxiety during dressing. Methods and materials: The present clinical trial was conducted on 60 burn patients hospitalized in Sina Hospital, Tabriz, in accordance with the inclusion criteria using the technique of random allocation to three groups of virtual reality, multimedia system, and control. The sounds and virtual images were played through headsets in the virtual reality group and an LCD in the multimedia system group during dressing and dressing changes in five consecutive days. Data analysis was performed using a demographic questionnaire as well as the linear-visual scale of pain intensity and Burns Specific Pain Anxiety Scale. Furthermore, the repeated measurement test was used to investigate the changes in pain over time and compare the control group with the multimedia system and virtual reality groups. Findings: The comparison of the means of pain showed significant differences between the three groups (p=0.006). The results showed no significant difference between the virtual reality and control groups (p>0.05), but the pain score in the multimedia group was significantly different from the control group on all days of the intervention (p<05). The comparison of the means of pain anxiety showed significant differences between the three groups (P = 0.01). The difference between the virtual reality and control groups was not significant. The multimedia system group was significantly different from the control group on the second, third and fourth day after the intervention (p<05). Conclusion: It expected that non-drug methods such as multimedia system can have positive effects on reduction of the burn patients’ pain and pain anxiety compared to virtual reality; therefore, it is recommended to use this method for controlling the burn patients’ pain and pain anxiety.