Patients who received virtual reality video education before a colonoscopy had better bowel preparation, higher polyp and adenoma detection rates and improved compliance and satisfaction, according to a study published Nov. 22 in JAMA Network Open.
The randomized clinical trial included 346 participants undergoing colonoscopy in a tertiary care hospital between Oct. 1, 2018 and Nov. 1, 2020.
The study aimed to investigate whether using VR videos for patient education before colonoscopy could improve bowel preparation. The outcomes were measured using Boston Bowel Preparation Scale score.
The study found that the control group, who received conventional education on bowel preparation, scored significantly lower compared to the VR video group. Additionally, the rate of adequate bowel preparation and polyp and adenoma detection rates were higher in the VR video group.
The study also found that when patients obtain information about the procedure in an easy way before the colonoscopy, their anxiety could be reduced.