Grant: Master's Award: Canada Graduate Scholarships

Preoperative state anxiety (PSA) refers to feelings of anxiety and distress as a result of surgical factors. PSA is common among cancer surgery patients and can lead to negative outcomes such as longer hospital stays and more pain. With a large number of cancer cases diagnosed each year, and many requiring surgery, interventions to target PSA are important. Although some previous educational and relaxation efforts have been effective in reducing PSA, a lack of available human resources limits their accessibility, particularly in public healthcare settings. However, immersive virtual reality (VR) represents a potential solution as it uses limited resources and allows for the combination of several known successful intervention techniques such as exposure to hospital environments, education, and relaxation strategies. The main goal of the present study is to investigate how the VR treatment compares to standard care in reducing anxiety before cancer surgery. It will also examine surgical outcomes such as pain and length of hospital stay across treatment and control groups, and consider the impact of sociodemographic and oncological factors. Patients will be recruited from a health care centre and randomized to either the VR intervention (including a virtual tour, mindfulness training, and education) or the control group (standard care). Data will be collected at various points, from two weeks before surgery to 30 days afterward. This research will be the first randomized controlled trial (RCT) to investigate the effectiveness of a comprehensive VR intervention for anxiety in cancer surgery patients. These findings could significantly improve the well-being of many Canadians undergoing cancer surgery, leading to better postoperative outcomes and reduced healthcare costs.