Daily vs. weekly data collection in VR interventions: Implications from a pilot study of patient-reported outcomes among adults with cancer (Preprint)

• DOI: 10.2196/preprints.73506
• Publication Date: 2025-03-13T19:20:07Z
• Authors: Matthew Browning; Olivia McAnirlin; Fu Li; Jeffrey Bertrand; Denise Davis; Kapil Madathil; Fredric Mau; Teny Gomez

BACKGROUND Virtual reality (VR) interventions are increasingly used in healthcare settings to improve patient-reported outcomes (PROs). Measuring PROs are commonly evaluated at weekly intervals with data collected via digital surveys. While weekly assessments have benefits, VR devices enable more frequent in-device data collection. It remains unclear whether PROs collected more frequently provide more information on these interventions than PROs collected more infrequently.

OBJECTIVE We examined PROs collected daily versus weekly in a VR intervention with nature imagery designed to reduce pain, anxiety and depression and improve well-being among cancer patients. We also evaluated whether guided imagery accompanying the nature imagery improved PROs.

METHODS Patients with cancer were randomly assigned to one of four conditions: [1] VR assisted guided imagery (“VRAGI”); [2] VR without guided imagery, [3] “Desktop VR” on a laptop with guided imagery; and [4] Desktop VR without guided imagery. Devices were mailed to patients' homes. Patients engaged with their assigned intervention for 15-20 minutes daily for three weeks. Weekly levels of pain, anxiety, depression and well-being were measured using items from the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale. Daily outcomes were collected in-device before and after each VR session. Descriptive analyses and visual pattern comparisons were used to explore trends and answer our research objectives.

RESULTS Among 41 patients who consented, eight provided usable data for the current study. Findings from weekly data were unclear. Findings from daily data were more informative and showed such patterns as double-bottoms and plateau effects. There was little evidence for the addition of guided imagery improving PROs above and beyond virtual nature imagery. Still, the greatest change in outcomes over time was seen with the VRAGI condition improving well-being.

CONCLUSIONS Daily collection of PROs may be more informative than less frequent data collection. Additional research is needed to confirm these study findings with larger sample sizes.

CLINICALTRIAL Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT05348174

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT RR2-10.1136/bmjopen-2022-064363