Look of Life 2.0. Virtual Reality for Cancer Patients in Home Palliative Care

Oncological disease, in addition to undermining the physical health and autonomy of the patient, is often accompanied by significant anxious and depressive symptoms that can compromise the quality of life of both patient and his/her family, hindering the adherence to treatment, the effectiveness of therapies and worsening the clinical prognosis. Several studies confirm that a large number of cancer patients experience severe levels of psychological distress, with an average prevalence of any mood disorder ranging from 29% in palliative care to 38% in oncological and hematological settings. The advanced stages of the disease are characterized by a progressive loss of functional autonomy, forcing the patient to a condition of isolation and both sensory and relational deprivation. The reduction of the occasions in which it is possible to experience positive emotions and meaningful social interactions often corresponds to an intensification of obsessive worries and thoughts, which in turn increase stress and connect to further negative emotional experiences. Thus the patient can be trapped in a vicious circle, that might increase the worsening of quality of life. In the last years, alongside traditional interventions, the effectiveness of interventions based on the use of immersive audiovisual technologies has been tested, such as the use of virtual reality (VR), which have the ability to emotionally involve the person, capture his/her attention and direct it towards positive stimuli, without particular effort to be used. Compared to 2D or 3D videos, VR gives to the user a "greater degree of presence", giving the impression of being immersed in a reality different from the real one. Unlike any other form of psychological intervention, VR does not require special training to be used and has the advantage of being used even in situations of poor mobility or attention capacity. Available literature shows how the use of VR for cancer patients is a widespread practice that can be considered an additional psychological technique. Several studies showed that VR can help in decreasing the psychophysical symptoms usually experienced by cancer patients in different settings (e.g., chemotherapy sessions, invasive medical procedures, and hospitalization). However, up to now, there are no studies in the scientific literature on the use of VR in the context of home palliative care. In this setting, it could be extremely interesting to test the effectiveness of this innovative technology, due to its growing diffusion and accessibility. The present study is aimed at assessing the effects of VR in cancer patients followed by ANT Foundation home palliative care program. The VR headset will be kept at the patients' home so that he/she can use it in moments of greatest psychophysical discomfort (e.g., pain peaks, moments of anxiety or sadness). The VR will contain both non-interactive and interactive contents, the last ones specifically developed for ANT patients.

Sex

All

Minimum age

18 Years

Maximum age

70 Years

Inclusion Criteria:

* able to understand the objectives of the study and to sign the informed consent;
* patient in ANT assistance, and not excluded according to the exclusion criteria listed below;
* age 18-70 years;
* able to speak and understand the Italian language.

Exclusion Criteria:

* cognitive disorders;
* epilepsy, dementia or other neurological disorder that could prevent the use of a VR technology;
* severe visual impairment;
* sensitivity to flashing lights;
* recent heart attack (less than 1 year);
* fixed breathing device;
* eyes or faces injuries preventing the correct use of virtual reality headset;
* unable to understand and speak the Italian language;
* unable to perform movements with the head or body to follow the 360 ° video;
* nausea or motion sickness.