Does Video-Based Operating Room Tour With 3D Virtual Reality Headsets Decrease Parents' Anxiety: A Quasi-Experimental Design.

A virtual reality (VR) tour of the operating room (OR) can reduce parental anxiety by providing a realistic experience of an environment that may be unfamiliar or frightening. This study aimed to measure the impact of a 3-dimensional (3D) VR headset tour on parental anxiety. This quasi-experimental, 2-group, pre-post-test design study was conducted in Turkiye between October 2022 and July 2023. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) was used for parents' anxiety. Parents wеrе thеn randomly assignеd to thе control and intervention groups. In thе intervention group (n=30), parents received a tour of the OR with VR glasses for about 30 minutes on thе day bеforе surgеry. The control group (n=30) received routine hospital training about the surgical procedure. All children's parent completed the STAI scale before the day before surgery and again before immediate discharge, after 4 weeks, and 3 months. VR intervention did not impact anxiety scores before discharge and at 1 and 3 months after surgery. Parents in both groups experienced mild anxiety before surgery. The STAI trait anxiety score was higher in parents who had a daughter, lived separately, and worked part-time 1 month after surgery (P=0.01). This study did not find a reduction in parental anxiety with VR headsets. A holistic approach should be taken to inform parents about OR, depending on their specific needs.