[Experience of the use and presence of cyber disease in inmmersive virtual reality exposure in urban community-dwelling older adults].

INTRODUCTION

Immersive virtual reality (IVR) is gaining influence in daily life and is being used in healthcare for promotion, prevention, and rehabilitation. This study evaluated the user experience and the presence of cybersickness in individuals over 65 years old exposed to this technology.

METHOD: A non-probabilistic convenience sampling method was used. Twenty-three participants (19 women) attended IVR sessions lasting 15-20minutes, twice a week for three weeks. Health, sociodemographic, technology familiarity, motion sickness history, the Abbreviated Mini-Mental State Examination, the Geriatric Depression Scale, the Simulator Sickness Questionnaire, and a user experience questionnaire were applied.

RESULTS

The 56.5% reported difficulty using technology; none exhibited technological anxiety. All participants (100%) found the glasses easy to use; 87% found learning to use them simple, and 91.3% felt confident using them without assistance. Additionally, 95.7% found IVR useful. All participants positively valued the use of IVR glasses and were willing to use them again or recommend them. The perception of no, negligible, or minimal symptoms was 95.7% in session 1, 82.6% in session 3, 95.7% in session 6, and 100% in sessions 2, 4, and 5.

CONCLUSIONS

IVR is well-received and tolerated by older adults, making it a promising tool for rehabilitation. The enthusiasm and positive perception of its utility and ease of use were reflected in the high acceptance and willingness to reuse this technology.