Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37311632›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2023

Feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of virtual reality as a patient education tool for people with cancer undergoing immunotherapy: a protocol for a randomised controlled pilot study in a regional setting.

Shannen R van der Kruk, Kate M Gunn, Hamish MacDougall, Donna Milne, Katherine Smith, Rob Zielinski

Abstract readClinical Trial Protocol
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Review
  5. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Shannen R van der KrukDepartment of Rural Health, Allied Health and Human Performance, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
Kate M GunnDepartment of Rural Health, Allied Health and Human Performance, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
Hamish MacDougallRPA Institute of Academic Surgery, Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Donna MilneMelanoma and Skin Service, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Katherine SmithSchool of Rural Health, The University of Sydney, Orange, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-6912-7996
Rob ZielinskiSchool of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia rob.zielinski@health.nsw.gov.au.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionPatient education is a critical component of healthcare delivery. However, medical information and knowledge are complex and can be difficult for patients and families to comprehend when delivered verbally. The use of virtual reality (VR) to convey medical information to patients may bridge this communication gap and lead to more effective patient education. It may be of increased value to those with low health literacy and levels of patient activation, in rural and regional settings. The objective of this randomised, single-centre pilot study is to examine the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of VR as an education tool for people with cancer. The results will provide data to inform the feasibility of a future randomised controlled trial, including sample size calculations. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Patients with cancer undergoing immunotherapy will be recruited. A total of 36 patients will be recruited and randomised to one of three trial arms. Participants will be randomised 1:1:1 to receive VR, a two-dimensional video or standard care (ie, verbal communication and information leaflets). Feasibility will be assessed by recruitment rate, practicality, acceptability, usability and related adverse events. The potential impact of VR on patient-reported outcomes (ie, perceived information provision quality, knowledge about immunotherapy and patient activation) will be assessed and stratified by information coping style (ie, monitors vs blunters) whenever statistical analyses are significant. The patient-reported outcomes will be measured at baseline, post-intervention and 2 weeks post-intervention. In addition, semistructured interviews will be conducted with health professionals and participants randomised to the VR trial arm, to further explore acceptability and feasibility. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethics approval was obtained from the Greater Western Human Research Ethics Committee, New South Wales Local Health District (2022/ETH01760). Informed consent will be obtained from all participants. Findings will be disseminated via relevant conference presentations and publications in peer-reviewed journals. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ACTRN12622001473752.

Indexed as

NeoplasmsPatient Education as TopicFeasibility StudiesHumansImmunotherapyPilot ProjectsRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicFeasibility StudiesONCOLOGYVirtual Reality

Identifiers

PMID37311632
PMCPMC10277043

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.