Virtual Nature: Benefits for Older Adults Who Experience Chronic Pain?
Trial Snapshot
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Status
- Completed
- Sponsor
- Cornell University
- Enrollment
- 23
- Locations
- 2
- Primary Endpoint
- Experience of chronic pain
Study Overview
Brief Summary
This randomized controlled trial examines the effect of nature exposure on pain intensity levels among older adults who experience chronic pain. Investigators examine the effects of nature on: the experience of chronic pain, on pain catastrophizing, and on attention restoration.
Detailed Description
Nature has been used to reduce pain in the context of acute pain (e.g., during painful medical procedures) but nature has not been examined as an intervention strategy to address chronic pain. Second, the mechanism though which nature might reduce the experience of pain is not well understood. Participants are cognitively intact individuals aged 60-90 who experience chronic pain and who rate their health as fair, good or excellent. Participants are randomly assigned to one of three conditions: virtual reality (VR) nature; VR built environment; or control. Researchers examine effects of VR nature exposure on the experience of chronic pain, pain catastrophizing, and on attention restoration as well as the relations among these variables.
Study Design
- Study Type
- Interventional
- Allocation
- Randomized
- Intervention Model
- Parallel
- Primary Purpose
- Basic Science
- Masking
- None
Eligibility Criteria
- Ages
- 60 Years to 90 Years (Adult, Older Adult)
- Sex
- All
- Accepts Healthy Volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria
- •rate health as "fair" "good" or "excellent"
- •experience chronic pain
- •cognitively intact
- •do not use wheelchair
Exclusion Criteria
- Not provided
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Experience of chronic pain
Time Frame: up to 3 weeks; from date of randomization until 2nd data collection date
rating of pain intensity, on scale of 1-10
Secondary Outcomes
- Pain catastrophizing(up to 3 weeks; from date of randomization until 2nd data collection date)
- cognitive functioning(up to 3 weeks; from date of randomization until 2nd data collection date)