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Publication
Contact with blue spaces using virtual reality technology: effect on the mental health of older adults
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| 4.84 MB | Adobe PDF |
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Abstract(s)
This randomized clinical trial evaluated the impact of a five-session virtual immersive blue space exposure program on anxiety, depression and well-being levels in 55 people aged 60 years or older without significant cognitive, auditory or visual deficits, recruited for convenience. The effects were compared with a virtual immersive program of exposure to urban spaces and non-immersive to blue spaces. The assessment was performed before and after the intervention using the 15 Geriatric Depression Scale, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale. The results revealed that all interventions had a positive impact on well-being and reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety (p-value ˂0.001). however, the participants exposed to blue spaces were more positive in their experience regarding the improvement of the general state, sense of calm and relaxation compared to those exposed to urban spaces (p-value ˂0.05). in addition, participants exposed to blue spaces in a non-immersive way reported less discomfort or side effects than participants exposed to urban spaces in an immersive way (p-value˂0.05). Although the sample is not large enough to generalize the results, the study suggests that technology can help facilitate access by older adults to these environments, especially for those with physical limitaions. More research is needed.
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Keywords
Elderly people Aging Mental health Virtual reality Blue spaces