The effect of video watched with virtual reality glasses and music accompaniment with music on pain and sleep quality in women with dysmenorrhea

This study was conducted as a randomized controlled trial to examine the effects of videos watched with music through virtual reality glasses and listening to music alone on pain and sleep quality in women with dysmenorrhea. The research was conducted from December 2022 to December 2023 in the Emergency, Internal Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Pediatrics Clinics of Baykan State Hospital affiliated with the Siirt Provincial Health Directorate. In the study, volunteer patients with dysmenorrhea (n:80) were divided into two groups in a randomized controlled manner: a control (music) group (n:40) and an experimental (virtual reality) group (n:40). The study was completed with a total of 77 participants (control group: 37, experimental group: 40). Data were collected using sociodemographic characteristics, dysmenorrhea and sleep status diagnosis form, Richards-Campbell Sleep Questionnaire (RCSQ), and Visual Analog Scale (VAS). In the experimental group, during the first three days of the menstrual cycle, the participants watched a video with music through virtual reality glasses. VAS was administered every day before the viewing, and both VAS and RCSQ were administered after the viewing. In the control group, participants listened to music only during the first three days of the menstrual cycle. VAS was administered every day before the listening session, and data were collected by applying both VAS and RCSQ after the session. The analysis of the data was conducted using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS Inc, Chicago, IL) version 20 software. In the intergroup comparison of women in the experimental and control groups, there is no statistically significant difference in terms of descriptive characteristics, VAS, and RCSQ (p > 0.05). In the intra-group comparisons for the VAS values of participants in the experimental group, it was observed that the VAS value after the application on the 1st day was significantly lower than the VAS value before the application on the 1st day (p < 0.01, z = -5.603), the VAS value after the application on the 2nd day was significantly lower than the VAS value before the application on the 2nd day (p < 0.01, z = -5.402), and the VAS value after the application on the 3rd day was significantly lower than the VAS value before the application on the 3rd day (p < 0.01, z = -5.404). In the intra-group comparisons for the VAS values of participants in the control group, it was observed that the VAS value after the application on the 1st day was significantly lower than the VAS value before the application on the 1st day (p < 0.01, z = -5.172), the VAS value after the application on the 2nd day was significantly lower than the VAS value before the application on the 2nd day (p < 0.01, z = -5.179), and the VAS value after the application on the 3rd day was significantly lower than the VAS value before the application on the 3rd day (p < 0.01, z = -5.336). In the intra-group comparisons for the RCSQT (Richards-Campbell Sleep Questionnaire Total) in the experimental group, it was observed that the RCSQT value on the 2nd day was significantly different from the RCSQT value on the 1st day, the RCSQT value on the 3rd day was significantly different from the RCSQT value on the 1st day, and the RCSQT value on the 3rd day was significantly different from the RCSQT value on the 2nd day (X2 = 51.986, p < 0.01). In the intra-group comparisons for the RCSQT in the control group, it was observed that the RCSQT value on the 2nd day was significantly higher than the RCSQT value on the 1st day, the RCSQT value on the 3rd day was significantly higher than the RCSQT value on the 1st day, and the RCSQT value on the 3rd day was significantly higher than the RCSQT value on the 2nd day (X2 = 57.206, p = 0.000). In conclusion, it was found that virtual reality and music, as non-pharmacological methods, have an effect on pain and sleep quality by diverting attention away from pain. However, no group was found to be superior to the others regarding their effect on pain and sleep quality. Keywords: Dysmenorrhea, Virtual Reality, Music, Pain, Sleep Quality