Authors: (including presenting author): :
Ip YY, Lau ST, Chan WK, Ho CM
Affiliation: :
Occupational Therapy, Tai Po Hospital
Keyword 1: :
Virtual Reality
Keyword 2: :
Pulmonary rehabilitation
Keyword 3: :
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Introduction: :
COPD is prevalent in Hong Kong, with over 18000 episodes of hospital admission due to exacerbation in 2023(1). Exertional dyspnea limits patients’ daily functioning. Controlled breathing training in pulmonary rehabilitation has been effective in reducing stress, enhancing daily functioning for hospitalized COPD patients(2). VR with real-time biofeedback integration provides immersive guided breathing exercises to reduce dyspnea-related anxiety and reinforce proper breathing techniques. Gamification of training increases treatment motivation and adherence. So as to enhance self dyspnea management in pulmonary rehabilitation.
Objectives: :
To evaluate the effects of VR in in-patient pulmonary rehabilitation program for patients with COPD by exploring self efficacy, functional level and symptom severity of dyspnea.
Methodology: :
Participants were recruited at Tai Po Hospital with 1) diagnosis of COPD, 2) Index admission with AECOPD. The program incorporated with VR includes disease management in ADL, stress management and relaxation techniques. Participants using head-mounted VR devices engage in guided immersive breathing exercise sessions while receiving real-time biofeedback displaying respiratory rate and depth. Outcome measures include 1)Shortness of Breath Questionnaire (SOBQ), 2)The Manchester Respiratory Activities of Daily Living Questionnaire (MRADLQ) , 3)Self-care of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Inventory (SC-COPDI).
Result & Outcome: :
Ten male patients with COPD were reviewed from September to November 2025. Seven and three in GOLD stage 1 and 3 respectively. Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test was conducted to analyze by comparing the mean of pre and post outcome measures. There was a significant improvement in SOBQ (p=0.007), There was no significant difference in MRADLQ (p=0.170). The findings from the SC-COPDI showed a significant difference in self-care self-efficacy in symptom management (Q1 p=0.004, Q5 p=0.059, Q6 p=0.004, Q7 p=0.038) and treatment adherence (Q2 p=0.002, Q3 p=0.002, Q4 p=0.006). VR with biofeedback in pulmonary rehabilitation demonstrated positive effects on dyspnea severity and self-efficacy in COPD patients. Its immersive features provided engaging real-time reinforcement of breathing techniques, reduced dyspnea-related anxiety, and enhanced confidence and adherence to self-management. These support VR’s potential to improve patient engagement and therapeutic outcomes in chronic illness management. It would be beneficial to further explore its effectiveness with larger sample size.
