The effect of virtual reality glasses applied to patients with gynecological cancer diagnosis during chemotherapy on treatment compliance and anxiety level

This study was conducted to determine the effect of virtual reality (VR) headset use on treatment adherence and anxiety levels in patients diagnosed with gynecologic cancer who were receiving outpatient chemotherapy. The study employed a two-group randomized controlled experimental design. The research was carried out at the Adult Outpatient Chemotherapy Unit of the Oncology Tower at Ankara Etlik City Hospital between November 2024 and March 2025. The study population consisted of women diagnosed with gynecologic cancer at the specified center who were about to begin chemotherapy (first cycle), were in stages I–III, aged 18 years or older, able to speak Turkish and communicate, and willing to participate in the research. The sample size was calculated using the G*Power 3.1.9.2 program with 95% power and a 5% significance level; assuming an effect size of 0.625, a total of 120 patients—60 in the experimental group and 60 in the control group—were included in the study. The findings indicated that the VR intervention significantly reduced both state and trait anxiety levels of the patients. While anxiety scores in the experimental group decreased markedly at each chemotherapy cycle, the control group exhibited an increasing or fluctuating pattern. Treatment adherence improved steadily in the experimental group, whereas it tended to decline in the control group. Analysis of the subdimensions of the adherence scale revealed that the VR intervention particularly enhanced psychological adherence and prevented deterioration in social adherence. The majority of participants in the experimental group reported that the VR intervention was relaxing and contributed positively to their treatment experience. In conclusion, the use of a VR headset is evaluated as an effective nursing intervention for reducing anxiety and improving treatment adherence among patients diagnosed with gynecologic cancer. The findings demonstrate the potential usability of VR technology as a complementary intervention in nursing practice.