Next Article in Journal
The Influence of Social Support in PROMs of Patients with COPD in Primary Care: A Scoping Review
Next Article in Special Issue
Use of Smart Glasses (Assisted Reality) for Western Australian X-ray Operators’ Continuing Professional Development: A Pilot Study
Previous Article in Journal
Patients’ Expectations and Satisfaction with the Patient–Doctor Relationship in Hidradenitis Suppurativa
Previous Article in Special Issue
Design and User Experience of VirNE Application: Deep Breathing Exercise in a Virtual Natural Environment to Reduce Treatment Anxiety in Pediatrics
 
 
Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
Journals
Healthcare
Volume 11
Issue 24
10.3390/healthcare11243140
healthcare-logo
Submit to this Journal Review for this Journal Propose a Special Issue
► Article Menu

Article Menu

share Share announcement Help format_quote Cite question_answer Discuss in SciProfiles
first_page
settings
Order Article Reprints
Font Type:
Arial Georgia Verdana
Font Size:
Aa Aa Aa
Line Spacing:
Column Width:
Background:
Article

Effects of Using Guided Deep Breathing Exercises in a Virtual Natural Environment to Reduce Stress during Pediatric Treatment

by
Ilmari Jyskä
1,*,
Markku Turunen
1,
Arash Chaychi Maleki
1,
Elina Karppa
2,3,
Sauli Palmu
2,3,
Jari Viik
4,
John Mäkelä
1 and
Kaija Puura
2,5
1
TAUCHI Research Center, Faculty of Information Technology and Communication Sciences, Tampere University, FI-33014 Tampere, Finland
2
TamCAM Research Center, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, FI-33014 Tampere, Finland
3
Department of Pediatrics, Tampere University Hospital, Central Hospital, P.O. Box 2000, FI-33521 Tampere, Finland
4
Finnish Cardiovascular Research Center, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, FI-33014 Tampere, Finland
5
Department of Child Psychiatry, Tampere University Hospital, Central Hospital, P.O. Box 2000, FI-33521 Tampere, Finland
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Healthcare 2023, 11(24), 3140; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11243140
Submission received: 31 October 2023 / Revised: 30 November 2023 / Accepted: 7 December 2023 / Published: 11 December 2023
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Virtual Reality Technologies in Health Care)
Browse Figures
Versions Notes

Abstract

There exists a need for new methods to address treatment anxiety in pediatrics—at the same time, deep breathing exercises and virtual natural environments have both been known to have stress-reducing qualities. This article reports the combined effect of these two methods in a pediatric setting. A feasibility study was conducted in a local hospital. The study had a within-subjects design, and it included 21 child patients aged 8 to 12 years old, who used a virtual reality (VR) relaxation application developed for this purpose during an intravenous cannulation procedure related to their treatment. The key findings highlight a statistically very significant stress reduction associated with the utilized VR intervention, demonstrated by heart rate variability measurements (SDNN, p < 0.001; RMSSD, p = 0.002; Stress Index, p < 0.001; LF/HF ratio, p = 0.010). This effect was consistent regardless of the level of general anxiety or the level of needle phobia of the patient, and no adverse effects were observed. The results show the strong potential of using deep breathing exercises in virtual natural environments for addressing treatment anxiety related to invasive pediatric procedures.
Keywords: virtual reality; child; anxiety; stress; nature; analgesia; virtual natural environments; deep breathing; heart rate variability virtual reality; child; anxiety; stress; nature; analgesia; virtual natural environments; deep breathing; heart rate variability

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Jyskä, I.; Turunen, M.; Chaychi Maleki, A.; Karppa, E.; Palmu, S.; Viik, J.; Mäkelä, J.; Puura, K. Effects of Using Guided Deep Breathing Exercises in a Virtual Natural Environment to Reduce Stress during Pediatric Treatment. Healthcare 2023, 11, 3140. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11243140

AMA Style

Jyskä I, Turunen M, Chaychi Maleki A, Karppa E, Palmu S, Viik J, Mäkelä J, Puura K. Effects of Using Guided Deep Breathing Exercises in a Virtual Natural Environment to Reduce Stress during Pediatric Treatment. Healthcare. 2023; 11(24):3140. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11243140

Chicago/Turabian Style

Jyskä, Ilmari, Markku Turunen, Arash Chaychi Maleki, Elina Karppa, Sauli Palmu, Jari Viik, John Mäkelä, and Kaija Puura. 2023. "Effects of Using Guided Deep Breathing Exercises in a Virtual Natural Environment to Reduce Stress during Pediatric Treatment" Healthcare 11, no. 24: 3140. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11243140

APA Style

Jyskä, I., Turunen, M., Chaychi Maleki, A., Karppa, E., Palmu, S., Viik, J., Mäkelä, J., & Puura, K. (2023). Effects of Using Guided Deep Breathing Exercises in a Virtual Natural Environment to Reduce Stress during Pediatric Treatment. Healthcare, 11(24), 3140. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11243140

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

Article Metrics

Back to TopTop