BACKGROUND
It is important to explain early diagnosis and treatment plans to patients due to the different stages that diagnosis is made at and corresponding stage-specific treatment options, as well as the varying prognoses depending on the choices made. While various studies have implemented Metaverse interventions across diverse clinical settings for medical education, there is a lack of publications addressing the implementation and validation of patient education using this technology. This study explored the potential of the metaverse as an educational and informational tool for prostate cancer.
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to measure and analyze participants’ satisfaction and perceptions of the Prostate Cancer Metaverse Patient Association.
METHODS
The study was conducted via questionnaire administered from September 15 to October 20, 2023, during the blue ribbon campaign organized by the Korean Urological Foundation and the Korean Society of Urological Oncology. The questionnaire was designed to assess the effectiveness of utilizing the metaverse to increase awareness of prostate cancer. A total of 119 participants completed the survey within the metaverse space, and their satisfaction and changes in awareness were analyzed.
RESULTS
Mean educational satisfaction score was 4.17 (±0.65), mean psychological satisfaction score was 4.06 (±0.70), mean overall satisfaction score was 4.12 (±0.72), and mean awareness score was 4.09 (±0.72) out of a possible five points. Statistical analysis revealed significant differences in psychological (4.0 [3.50-4.63] vs 4.50 [4.0-4.56]) and overall aspects (4.0 [3.67-4.83] vs 4.33 [4.0-4.67]) between general population individuals versus patients and caregivers (4.0 [3.33-4.33] vs 4.67[4.0-4.67]).
CONCLUSIONS
Many people appear willing to participate in the metaverse based patient association. These results suggest that using Metaverse for healthcare education and information delivery is a valid way to improve healthcare quality and increase patient engagement. This is an important contribution to the advancement of metaverse technology, expanding its potential applications in healthcare.