A study conducted by the Central Catalonia Research Support Unit (USR) of IDIAPJGol and the Catalan Health Institute (ICS) concludes that immersive virtual reality is a valid, safe, and feasible tool in paediatric primary care practice to reduce pain and anxiety during routine vaccinations. The study, published in PLoS One, compared two groups of children: one received their routine vaccines while wearing virtual reality goggles, and the other followed the usual vaccination process at primary care canters (CAP). The project achieved high levels of satisfaction among vaccinated children and their families or legal guardians.
An immersive experience
The immersive experience is based on a first-person video titled “NeedleCetamol / Leia’s World”, lasting two and a half minutes, in which an avatar named Leia, and a panda bear take part in an adventure. The video is activated at the time of vaccine administration using a virtual reality headset (Pico G2 4K model) and is synchronized with a tablet operated by the healthcare professional. The study involved children between the ages of 3 and 6. Researchers evaluated their reactions when they received the MMR and varicella vaccines at age 3, and the hepatitis A and Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis) vaccines at age 6, during routine paediatric check-ups at primary care canters.
A preventive tool
Vaccination is a common procedure in childhood, but it often causes pain and anxiety in children and their families, which can lead to long-term consequences such as needle phobia or reluctance to receive future vaccines. Immersive virtual reality emerges as a potential tool for active distraction, combining visual, auditory, and tactile elements to divert attention from the painful procedure and modulate pain perception through cognitive and emotional pathways.
Josep Vidal, coordinator of the Central Catalonia USR at IDIAPJGol and ICS, and member of the research team, led by Mercedes de la Cruz, highlights that “this is the first study of its kind to assess the effectiveness of virtual reality among children aged 3 to 6, and it provides evidence supporting the use of virtual reality devices during vaccination in paediatric consultations.”
As future lines of research, the study proposes evaluating the use of virtual reality in other procedures such as venipuncture, wound care, and paediatric dentistry. It also suggests its application for patients with attention deficit disorders in both rural and urban settings.
Article reference
De La Cruz Herrera M, Fuster-Casanovas A, Miró Catalina Q, Cigarrrán Mensa M, Vilanova Guitart I, Agüera Sedeño A, Vidal-Alaball J, Grau Carrión S. Use of virtual reality in the reduction of pain after the administration of vaccines among children in primary care centers in Central Catalonia: Randomized clinical trial. PLoS One. 2025 May 7;20(5):e0322840. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0322840. PMID: 40334011; PMCID: PMC12057881.