BACKGROUND
Virtual reality (VR) has potential to improve chronic pain management outcomes. However, the majority of studies assessing VR are conducted in predominantly White populations in well-resourced settings, thus leaving a gap in knowledge of VR use among diverse populations who experience a significant chronic pain burden.
OBJECTIVE
This review aimed to examine the extent to which usability of VR for chronic pain management has been studied within historically marginalized patient groups.
METHODS
We conducted a systematic search to identify studies with usability outcomes located in high-income countries that included a historically marginalized population, defined as mean age ≥65 years; lower educational attainment (≥60% ≤ high school education); and/or racial/ethnic minority (<50% non-Hispanic White for US studies).
RESULTS
Our analysis included five articles, from which we conducted a narrative analysis. Three studies examined VR usability as a primary outcome. All studies assessed VR usability using different measures, of which four found VR to be usable by their respective study population. Only one study found a significant improvement in pain levels post-VR intervention.
CONCLUSIONS
The use of VR shows promise for chronic pain management, but few studies include populations that are older, have limited educational attainment, or with racial/ethnic diversity. Additional studies with these populations are needed to further develop VR systems that work best for diverse patients with chronic pain.