A home-based VR exercise for improving depression and quality of life after heart surgery: a randomized controlled trial.

IF 2.7 Q2 PSYCHOLOGY, CLINICAL

Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine Pub Date : 2026-01-13 eCollection Date: 2026-01-01 DOI:10.1080/21642850.2026.2614807

Kornanong Yuenyongchaiwat, Natsinee Sermsinsaithong, Chatchai Buekban, Chusak Thanawattano, Wararat Tavonudomgit, Chitima Kulchanarat, Khanistha Wattanananont, Sasipa Buranapuntalug, Preeyaphorn Songsorn, Opas Satdhabudha

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Abstract

Background: Exercise is an integral component of cardiac rehabilitation after open-heart surgery in both hospital and community settings, and such programs are designed to reduce adverse physical and mental health outcomes in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Virtual reality (VR)-based aerobic exercises are used for cardiac rehabilitation. We aimed to analyze the effects of an eight-week home-based phase II cardiac rehabilitation program performed in VR on depression and quality of life (QOL) in community-dwelling individuals who underwent open-heart surgery.

Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted, and 49 patients who underwent elective open-heart surgery were assigned to either the VR group (n=24) or the control group. Members of the control group received a paper booklet (n=25) during phase II cardiac rehabilitation. Depression and SF-36 scores were assessed at baseline and at eight weeks.

Results: The VR group showed a significant decrease in depression after eight weeks, compared to the control group (D-1.75, p=.003, n2p=0.175). The SF-36 showed no significant differences between the VR and control groups.

Conclusions: A home-based VR exercise program has applications in phase II cardiac rehabilitation for open-heart surgery by reducing depression but not QOL. Therefore, integrating VR exercise into cardiac rehabilitation programs may offer a novel strategy to address mental health challenges.

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一项基于家庭的虚拟现实运动改善心脏手术后的抑郁和生活质量：一项随机对照试验。

背景：在医院和社区环境中，运动是心内直视手术后心脏康复不可或缺的组成部分，此类计划旨在减少心脏手术患者的不良生理和心理健康结果。基于虚拟现实（VR）的有氧运动被用于心脏康复。我们的目的是分析在VR中进行的为期8周的以家庭为基础的II期心脏康复计划对接受心内直视手术的社区居住个体的抑郁和生活质量（QOL）的影响。方法：采用随机对照试验，将49例择期心内直视手术患者分为VR组（n=24）和对照组。对照组在II期心脏康复期间收到纸质小册子（n=25）。在基线和8周时评估抑郁和SF-36评分。结果：与对照组相比，VR组8周后抑郁程度明显降低（D-1.75, p= 0.003, n2p=0.175）。SF-36在VR组和对照组之间没有显着差异。结论：基于家庭的VR运动方案可以通过减少抑郁而不是生活质量来应用于心脏直视手术的二期心脏康复。因此，将VR运动整合到心脏康复计划中可能为解决心理健康挑战提供一种新的策略。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine PSYCHOLOGY, CLINICAL-

CiteScore

3.50

自引率

3.70%

发文量

审稿时长

24 weeks

期刊介绍： Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine: an Open Access Journal (HPBM) publishes theoretical and empirical contributions on all aspects of research and practice into psychosocial, behavioral and biomedical aspects of health. HPBM publishes international, interdisciplinary research with diverse methodological approaches on: Assessment and diagnosis Narratives, experiences and discourses of health and illness Treatment processes and recovery Health cognitions and behaviors at population and individual levels Psychosocial an behavioral prevention interventions Psychosocial determinants and consequences of behavior Social and cultural contexts of health and illness, health disparities Health, illness and medicine Application of advanced information and communication technology.