Virtual Reality Therapy for Improving Caregiver and Patient Quality of Life in Home-Based Palliative Care in Saudi Arabia
For patients and families
In plain language
An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.
- What is being studied
- The protocol lists: Immersive Nature VR.
- Who it may be relevant to
- Registry conditions: Virtual Reality, Quality of Life, Palliative Care, Caregivers. Basic parameters: from 18 years · All.
- What needs checking
- Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
- Where it takes place
- Center list to be confirmed — check the primary protocol.
- Next step
- Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →
Unsure about the terms? Read our patient guide →
Official title
Virtual Reality Nature Therapy for Palliative Patients and Caregivers in Saudi Arabia: A Randomized Controlled Trial to Support Quality of Life and Cultural Adaptation
Overview
This randomized controlled trial evaluates the efficacy of a culturally adapted virtual reality (VR) nature therapy intervention aimed at improving the quality of life (QOL) and emotional well-being of palliative patients and their family caregivers in Saudi Arabia. The study involves immersive VR sessions depicting natural environments, including Saudi-specific landscapes, delivered to patient-caregiver dyads at home. Outcomes include self-reported QOL measures, psychophysiological parameters, and qualitative feedback.
Detailed description
This randomized controlled trial investigates the impact of immersive Virtual Reality (VR) nature therapy on quality of life and emotional well-being among palliative care patients and their caregivers in Saudi Arabia. The intervention includes culturally adapted, high-fidelity VR nature environments designed to promote psychological comfort, reduce stress, and provide sensory engagement aligned with local preferences. Participants-dyads of patients and their primary caregivers-will be randomly assigned to either the VR intervention group or a waitlist control group. The study explores outcomes such as changes in quality of life, anxiety, and emotional support using validated patient-reported outcome measures. This trial is among the first in the region to evaluate digital interventions for supportive care in palliative settings and aims to inform scalable, culturally relevant approaches to holistic symptom management in advanced illness.
Interventions
- Device Immersive Nature VR
The VR intervention will consist of a series of sessions using high-resolution VR headsets and user-friendly handheld controllers. The virtual environments will include six immersive nature scenes-three tailored to Saudi cultural preferences (e.g., desert oases, wadis, and Mecca-related sites), and three universally calming settings (e.g., beach, forest, and mountain landscapes). The intervention is designed to offer therapeutic sensory engagement and emotional respite.
Primary outcome measures
- Change in Quality of Life (PROMIS-29) [Time frame: Baseline (Week 0) and Week 5 (post-intervention)]
- Change in Heart Rate Variability (HRV) [Time frame: Baseline (Week 0) and Week 5 (Post-intervention)]
Secondary outcome measures (2)
- Caregiver Stress and Emotional State [Time frame: Baseline (Week 0) and Week 5 (post-intervention)]
- Participant Engagement and Satisfaction (Qualitative) [Time frame: Week 5 (post-intervention)]
Eligibility criteria
Inclusion criteria
- Adult patients (≥18 years) receiving palliative care in Saudi Arabia
- Primary family caregivers living with and providing daily care to the patient
- Ability to provide informed consent
- Fluent in Arabic
Exclusion criteria
- Severe cognitive impairment or psychiatric conditions that prevent use of VR
- History of epilepsy or vestibular disorders
- Inability to understand or follow instructions for using VR equipment
Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.
Healthy volunteers: No
Study design
- Allocation
- Randomized
- Model
- Parallel assignment
- Masking
- Open label
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
Study locations
Center list to be confirmed — check the primary protocol.
Publications
- Alanazi MO, Patano A, Bente G, Mason A, Goldstein D, Parsnejad S, Wyatt G, Lehto R. Nature-Based Virtual Reality Feasibility and Acceptability Pilot for Caregiver Respite. Curr Oncol. 2023 Jun 22;30(7):5995-6005. doi: 10.3390/curroncol30070448. PMID 37504309
- Mo J, Vickerstaff V, Minton O, Tavabie S, Taubert M, Stone P, White N. How effective is virtual reality technology in palliative care? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Palliat Med. 2022 Jul;36(7):1047-1058. doi: 10.1177/02692163221099584. Epub 2022 May 30. PMID 35635018
- Moloney M, Doody O, O'Reilly M, Lucey M, Callinan J, Exton C, Colreavy S, O'Mahony F, Meskell P, Coffey A. Virtual reality use and patient outcomes in palliative care: A scoping review. Digit Health. 2023 Nov 1;9:20552076231207574. doi: 10.1177/20552076231207574. eCollection 2023 Jan-Dec. PMID 37928326
- Mercante A, Zanin A, Vecchi L, De Tommasi V, Benini F. Virtual reality intervention as support to paediatric palliative care providers: A pilot study. Acta Paediatr. 2024 Apr;113(4):833-834. doi: 10.1111/apa.17099. Epub 2024 Jan 7. No abstract available. PMID 38186210
- Perna MSc Msw L, Lund S, White N, Minton O. The Potential of Personalized Virtual Reality in Palliative Care: A Feasibility Trial. Am J Hosp Palliat Care. 2021 Dec;38(12):1488-1494. doi: 10.1177/1049909121994299. Epub 2021 Feb 15. PMID 33583203
- Kalantari S, Bill Xu T, Mostafavi A, Lee A, Barankevich R, Boot WR, Czaja SJ. Using a Nature-Based Virtual Reality Environment for Improving Mood States and Cognitive Engagement in Older Adults: A Mixed-Method Feasibility Study. Innov Aging. 2022 Mar 17;6(3):igac015. doi: 10.1093/geroni/igac015. eCollection 2022. PMID 35592668
- Gaina AM, Stefanescu C, Szalontay AS, Gaina MA, Poroch V, Mosoiu DV, Stefanescu BV, Axinte M, Tofan CM, Magurianu LA. A Systematic Review of Virtual Reality's Impact on Anxiety During Palliative Care. Healthcare (Basel). 2024 Dec 12;12(24):2517. doi: 10.3390/healthcare12242517. PMID 39765944
- Austin PD, Siddall PJ, Lovell MR. Feasibility and acceptability of virtual reality for cancer pain in people receiving palliative care: a randomised cross-over study. Support Care Cancer. 2022 May;30(5):3995-4005. doi: 10.1007/s00520-022-06824-x. Epub 2022 Jan 21. PMID 35064330
Identifiers
NCT: NCT07567391 · Ubisha-02