Exposure to Immersive Relaxing Virtual Environments for Hospitalized Patients

Introduction

Virtual reality (VR) as became more developed over the years (Figueiredo et al., 2021) by enabling patients to immerse themselves in virtual settings, which serves as a mimic of real-world experiences, and becoming more prevalent in the field of therapeutic therapy. (Bruno et al., 2022; Glantz et al., 2003; Rizzo & Kim, 2005).

Interactivity with media can give patients a sense of control, making it more enjoyable than passively watching television. It can produce simulated experiences of the real world that, to some degree, satisfy the desire to go out and experience the outside world. Some contents of VR would relax patients or empower them in their fight against diseases (Ohsuga & Oyama, 1998). The experience of VR may help users feel safer, more in control, and more comfortable than in outpatient therapy through direct visualization without the stress of real-world stimulation (Stetz et al., 2011). For people with limited access to nature (e.g., elderly in nursing homes, hospital patients, or prison inmates), even visual representations of nature can relieve stress and improve emotional well-being (Gamble & Howard, 2016; Leather et al., 1998; Maller et al., 2006; Tuena et al., 2020).

The mental state of hospitalized patients can be destabilized by various stressors. These individuals usually wage an uphill battle against illness, undergoing daily examinations, surgeries, and treatments (Ohsuga & Oyama, 1998). They suffer from pain and other symptoms. They are anxious about their current condition and diagnosis, as well as their future prognosis (Chang, 2019). A sudden illness can disrupt their life plans, so they usually need some time and support to accept the situation. Prolonged hospital stays isolates patients from the outside world (Chiarchiaro et al., 2013). It deprives them of their work, social activities, happy time with family and hobbies. Terminally ill patients suffer from fear of death, fear of even greater pain and financial burden, and worry about the future of their families (Ohsuga & Oyama, 1998). Such instability of mental state can disrupt physical homeostasis, leading to physical and psychological problems (OYAMA, 1998). The effects of these persistent psychological symptoms after acute illness are associated with long-term functional impairments, such as chronic pain (Brennstuhl et al., 2015). Therefore, the mental health care of bedridden patients is an important challenge for the medical institution (Ohsuga & Oyama, 1998).

The traditional focus of medical care has been on diagnosis, treatment, and clarifying the causes of illness. This has changed rapidly in recent years, and there is now more focus on improving patients' quality of life (QOL) (Oyama et al., 2000).

Improving the QOL of bedridden patients is an important task in the era of rapidly aging population. The experience of an acute life-threatening event is stressful, in and of itself, there is evidence that hospitalization exacerbate patients’ psychological outcomes (Alzahrani, 2021; Chang, Carter, et al., 2016; Chang, Sumner, et al., 2016). Therefore, a new type of facility that improves their QOL by relieving their anxiety, reducing their pain, encouraging them in their fight against diseases, and facilitating their movement is needed to prevent the disuse syndrome caused by a long and immobile life in bed (Ohsuga et al., 1998). VR technology that allows to improve the interactivity and reality of the system is promising for this type of facility (Gershon et al., 2004; Hoffman et al., 2004; Mallari et al., 2019; Ohsuga et al., 1998; Ohsuga & Oyama, 1998).