Effects of a Virtual Reality-Based Meditation Intervention on Anxiety and Depression Among Patients With Acute Leukemia During Induction Chemotherapy: A Randomized Controlled Trial
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AbstractBackground
Emerging evidence supports that virtual reality (VR)–based meditation interventions may improve anxiety and depression among patients with cancer. However, empirical studies involving patients with acute leukemia during induction chemotherapy are limited.
Objective
This study aimed to examine the effects of VR-based meditation intervention on alleviating anxiety and depression and improving the quality of life among patients with acute leukemia during induction chemotherapy.
Methods
This randomized controlled trial recruited 63 patients newly diagnosed with acute leukemia. Participants were randomly assigned to an intervention group (received VR-based meditation for 20 min daily for 14 days) and a control group. Anxiety, depression, and quality of life were measured using the State Anxiety Inventory, the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Leukemia Questionnaire, respectively. All outcomes were measured at baseline and post-intervention.
Results
Compared with patients in the control group, those in the intervention group demonstrated a significantly greater reduction in anxiety (P = .04) and improvement in quality of life (P = .04). However, no significant difference was noted in depression levels between groups (P = .09), although a decreasing trend was observed in the intervention group.
Conclusion
Virtual reality–based meditation intervention effectively alleviated anxiety and improved the quality of life among acute leukemia patients during induction chemotherapy. Future randomized controlled trials with larger sample sizes and longer follow-up periods are warranted.
Implication for Practice
Virtual reality–based meditation can be applied in clinical practice virtually anytime and anywhere to provide a convenient intervention for anxiety reduction for acute leukemia patients during induction chemotherapy.
Emerging evidence supports that virtual reality (VR)–based meditation interventions may improve anxiety and depression among patients with cancer. However, empirical studies involving patients with acute leukemia during induction chemotherapy are limited.
Objective
This study aimed to examine the effects of VR-based meditation intervention on alleviating anxiety and depression and improving the quality of life among patients with acute leukemia during induction chemotherapy.
Methods
This randomized controlled trial recruited 63 patients newly diagnosed with acute leukemia. Participants were randomly assigned to an intervention group (received VR-based meditation for 20 min daily for 14 days) and a control group. Anxiety, depression, and quality of life were measured using the State Anxiety Inventory, the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Leukemia Questionnaire, respectively. All outcomes were measured at baseline and post-intervention.
Results
Compared with patients in the control group, those in the intervention group demonstrated a significantly greater reduction in anxiety (P = .04) and improvement in quality of life (P = .04). However, no significant difference was noted in depression levels between groups (P = .09), although a decreasing trend was observed in the intervention group.
Conclusion
Virtual reality–based meditation intervention effectively alleviated anxiety and improved the quality of life among acute leukemia patients during induction chemotherapy. Future randomized controlled trials with larger sample sizes and longer follow-up periods are warranted.
Implication for Practice
Virtual reality–based meditation can be applied in clinical practice virtually anytime and anywhere to provide a convenient intervention for anxiety reduction for acute leukemia patients during induction chemotherapy.
Acceptance Date03/11/2022
All Author(s) ListBixia Zhang, XiaoHuan Jin, Xiaolin Kuang, Biyu Shen, Dingrong Qiu, Jinrui Peng, Erhui Chen, Xiping Dai, Xiaoling Chen, Cho Lee Wong
Journal nameCancer Nursing
Year2024
Month5
Volume Number47
Issue Number3
PublisherLippincott, Williams & Wilkins
PagesE159 - E167
ISSN0162-220X
eISSN1538-9804
LanguagesEnglish-United Kingdom
KeywordsAcute leukemia, Anxiety, Chemotherapy, Depression, Meditation, Virtual reality
