Virtual Reality within Palliative Care (VR-SPC)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The Effectiveness of Virtual Reality Interventions within Specialist Palliative Care (VR-SPC): A Hermeneutic Single Case Efficacy Design (HSCED) Series
IRAS ID
349429
Contact name
Nima Moghaddam
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Lincoln
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
25003, Sponsor's/Protocol Number
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 10 months, 15 days
Research summary
Literature so far shows VR is largely acceptable and feasible to use in palliative care settings (Nwosu et al., 2021), along with encouraging findings regarding improvements in patient their wellbeing and mental health (Mo et al., 2022). However, limited research exists for understanding the effectiveness of VR especially if sessions are repeated or offered jointly with patient carers or companions.
We aim to investigate the effectiveness of VR for achieving personally meaningful goals (including but not limited to relaxation, bucket-list activities, and improving wellbeing). This study will be offered to patients and their companions receiving palliative care at John Eastwood Hospice in Mansfield. Informed consent will be acquired after a participant information sheet has been shared with interested participants. Personal goals of VR use will be established at the start of the study with baseline mental health and wellbeing data collection. Up to 3 VR sessions will be offered. Before and after each session patients will be asked to complete questionnaires to track wellbeing and progression towards intended VR goals. A change interview will occur between 1 to 4 weeks after the final VR session to discuss their overall experiences of VR and will include repeated follow up questionnaires. Participants that which to engage with a joint-VR intervention with their companion (referred to as participant companions for the purposes of this study), will also require informed consent and completion of questionnaires and interview attendance to be involved with this study.
Information gathered will be combined to create individual rich case records and shared with a panel of independent psychologists to conclude whether or not, from our findings, if virtual reality is effective for achieving personally important goals. Findings will be shared with the hospice involved and form a Doctoral Thesis based at the University of Lincoln.
REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - Sheffield Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
25/YH/0091
Date of REC Opinion
29 May 2025
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion