Nurse's RoleNCT07462039
Effect of Virtual Reality on Pain and Anxiety During Pap Smear Testing
A study testing Virtual Reality in people with Nurse's Role and Pain Management, run by Eastern Mediterranean University.
Trial summary
This randomized controlled pretest-posttest experimental study aims to evaluate the effect of virtual reality (VR) on pain and anxiety levels experienced during Pap smear sampling. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 65 years, women onlyHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Nurse's Role, Pain Management, Cervical Cancer Screening
- What is being tested?
- Virtual Reality
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 60 participants
- Where
- No sites listed yet
- Study dates
- 10 Mar 2026to 10 May 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 65 years
- Women only
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Women aged 18-65 years
- Scheduled for a Pap smear procedure
- Able to communicate in Turkish
- Able to understand and complete the study questionnaires
- Willing to provide written informed consent
- No visual or hearing impairment preventing the use of a VR headset
Who cannot join
- History of severe motion sickness or vertigo
- Diagnosed psychiatric disorder affecting anxiety assessment
- Use of anxiolytic or sedative medication within 24 hours prior to the procedure
- Presence of acute pelvic pain or active vaginal infection
- Previous participation in this study
- Any condition preventing safe use of a VR headset
Trial locations and contacts
No sites are listed yet. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Buse Güney contact
About this study
Official title: The Effect of Virtual Reality Transition on Pain and Anxiety Experienced During Pap Smear Testing
This randomized controlled pretest-posttest experimental study aims to evaluate the effect of virtual reality (VR) on pain and anxiety levels experienced during Pap smear sampling. Although cervical cancer is largely preventable through regular screening, many women avoid Pap smear testing due to anxiety, fear of pain, and discomfort during gynecological examinations. Innovative, non-invasive interventions are needed to improve women's screening experiences and participation rates.
The study will be conducted in a gynecology outpatient clinic with 60 women aged 18-65 years who meet the inclusion criteria and provide informed consent. Participants will be randomly assigned to either the intervention group (VR headset during the procedure) or the control group (standard care). Women in the intervention group will watch a 360° relaxing nature video during the Pap smear procedure. Data will be collected using a Personal Information Form, the State Anxiety Inventory, and the Visual Analog Scale (VAS). The findings may support integrating VR into clinical practice to enhance patient comfort during screening procedures.
Read the detailed description
This study was planned as a randomized controlled, pretest-posttest true experimental design to evaluate the effect of a virtual reality (VR) application on pain and anxiety levels experienced by women during Pap smear sampling. Although cervical cancer is preventable, it remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality among women worldwide. Despite the availability of regular screening programs, many women are reluctant to undergo Pap smear testing due to factors such as pain, anxiety, and concerns about privacy during gynecological examinations. Therefore, there is a need for innovative and non-invasive methods to reduce negative experiences during the procedure.
The study will be conducted at the Gynecology and Obstetrics Outpatient Clinic of Gazimağusa Yaşam Hospital. The sample will consist of 60 women aged 18-65 years who meet the inclusion criteria and voluntarily agree to participate. Participants will be randomly assigned to either the intervention group (VR headset applied) or the control group (standard care) using a simple randomization method.
Women in the intervention group will watch a 360° relaxing nature video through a virtual reality headset during the Pap smear procedure. The control group will receive the standard clinical procedure. Data will be collected using a Personal Information Form, the State Anxiety Inventory, and the Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Anxiety levels will be assessed before and after the procedure, and pain levels will be evaluated after the procedure.
The findings are expected to demonstrate the effectiveness of virtual reality in reducing pain and anxiety during Pap smear procedures and to contribute to evidence-based practices aimed at increasing women's participation in cervical cancer screening programs.
- Conditions
- Nurse's Role, Pain Management, Cervical Cancer Screening, Anxiety
- Being tested
- Virtual Reality
- Keywords
- virtual reality, pap smear, pain, anxiety, Cervical Cancer Screening
- Medical subject headings
- Agnosia, Anxiety Disorders, Pain
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Virtual RealityBehavioural
Participants will watch a 360° relaxing nature video through a VR headset during the Pap smear procedure.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Reality Group | Experimental | Participants will watch a 360° relaxing nature video through a VR headset during the Pap smear procedure. Receives: Behavioral: Virtual Reality |
| Control Group | No intervention | Routin nursing care |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Pain level during Pap smear procedure
Pain intensity experienced during the Pap smear procedure will be measured using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS). The VAS is a 10-cm scale ranging from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst imaginable pain). Higher scores indicate greater pain intensity.
Measured: Immediately after completion of the Pap smear procedure (within 5 minutes post-procedure).
State anxiety level
Anxiety level will be assessed using the State Anxiety Inventory before and after the Pap smear procedure. Higher scores indicate higher anxiety levels.
Measured: Immediately before the procedure and immediately after the procedure.
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted10 Mar 2026
- Study start10 Mar 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion10 May 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion10 May 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Nurse's RoleStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- Participants will be randomly assigned to either the virtual reality intervention group or the control group. Women in the intervention group will receive virtual reality distraction during the Pap smear procedure, while the control group will receive standard care. Pain and anxiety levels will be compared between the groups.
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Participant
- Enrolment
- 60 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Eastern Mediterranean University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07462039
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- ETK-00-2025-0190
- Status last verified
- Mar 2026
- First submitted
- 3 Mar 2026
- Last updated
- 10 Mar 2026
- Results posted
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 10 Mar 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- The Effect of Virtual Reality Transition on Pain and Anxiety Experienced During Pap Smear Testing
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07462039
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- ETK-00-2025-0190
- Conditions
- Nurse's Role, Pain Management, Cervical Cancer Screening, Anxiety
- Keywords
- virtual reality, pap smear, pain, anxiety, Cervical Cancer Screening
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Not yet recruiting
- Enrolment
- 60 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Eastern Mediterranean UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 10 Mar 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- 10 May 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 10 May 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 10 Mar 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This randomized controlled pretest-posttest experimental study aims to evaluate the effect of virtual reality (VR) on pain and anxiety levels experienced during Pap smear sampling. Although cervical cancer is largely preventable through regular screening, many women avoid Pap smear testing due to anxiety, fear of pain, and discomfort during gynecological examinations. Innovative, non-invasive interventions are needed to improve women's screening experiences and participation rates.
The study will be conducted in a gynecology outpatient clinic with 60 women aged 18-65 years who meet the inclusion criteria and provide informed consent. Participants will be randomly assigned to either the intervention group (VR headset during the procedure) or the control group (standard care). Women in the intervention group will watch a 360° relaxing nature video during the Pap smear procedure. Data will be collected using a Personal Information Form, the State Anxiety Inventory, and the Visual Analog Scale (VAS). The findings may support integrating VR into clinical practice to enhance patient comfort during screening procedures.
Detailed description
This study was planned as a randomized controlled, pretest-posttest true experimental design to evaluate the effect of a virtual reality (VR) application on pain and anxiety levels experienced by women during Pap smear sampling. Although cervical cancer is preventable, it remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality among women worldwide. Despite the availability of regular screening programs, many women are reluctant to undergo Pap smear testing due to factors such as pain, anxiety, and concerns about privacy during gynecological examinations. Therefore, there is a need for innovative and non-invasive methods to reduce negative experiences during the procedure.
The study will be conducted at the Gynecology and Obstetrics Outpatient Clinic of Gazimağusa Yaşam Hospital. The sample will consist of 60 women aged 18-65 years who meet the inclusion criteria and voluntarily agree to participate. Participants will be randomly assigned to either the intervention group (VR headset applied) or the control group (standard care) using a simple randomization method.
Women in the intervention group will watch a 360° relaxing nature video through a virtual reality headset during the Pap smear procedure. The control group will receive the standard clinical procedure. Data will be collected using a Personal Information Form, the State Anxiety Inventory, and the Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Anxiety levels will be assessed before and after the procedure, and pain levels will be evaluated after the procedure.
The findings are expected to demonstrate the effectiveness of virtual reality in reducing pain and anxiety during Pap smear procedures and to contribute to evidence-based practices aimed at increasing women's participation in cervical cancer screening programs.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (participant)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- Participants will be randomly assigned to either the virtual reality intervention group or the control group. Women in the intervention group will receive virtual reality distraction during the Pap smear procedure, while the control group will receive standard care. Pain and anxiety levels will be compared between the groups.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Reality Group | Experimental | Behavioral: Virtual RealityParticipants will watch a 360° relaxing nature video through a VR headset during the Pap smear procedure. |
| Control Group | No intervention | –Routin nursing care |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 65 years
- Sex
- Female only
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (6 listed)
- Women aged 18-65 years
- Scheduled for a Pap smear procedure
- Able to communicate in Turkish
- Able to understand and complete the study questionnaires
- Willing to provide written informed consent
Key exclusion criteria (6 listed)
- History of severe motion sickness or vertigo
- Diagnosed psychiatric disorder affecting anxiety assessment
- Use of anxiolytic or sedative medication within 24 hours prior to the procedure
- Presence of acute pelvic pain or active vaginal infection
- Previous participation in this study
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Virtual RealityParticipants will watch a 360° relaxing nature video through a VR headset during the Pap smear procedure. | Behavioural | Virtual Reality Group |
Primary outcome
Pain level during Pap smear procedure
Time frame: Immediately after completion of the Pap smear procedure (within 5 minutes post-procedure).
Pain intensity experienced during the Pap smear procedure will be measured using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS). The VAS is a 10-cm scale ranging from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst imaginable pain). Higher scores indicate greater pain intensity.
State anxiety level
Time frame: Immediately before the procedure and immediately after the procedure.
Anxiety level will be assessed using the State Anxiety Inventory before and after the Pap smear procedure. Higher scores indicate higher anxiety levels.
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 10 Mar 2026.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
Buse Güney contact
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Virtual Reality in people with Nurse's Role and Pain Management, run by Eastern Mediterranean University.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 6 inclusion and 6 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 10 Mar 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Arzu Abiç, PhD (05488506060, arzu.abic@gmail.com), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Pain level during Pap smear procedure (time frame: Immediately after completion of the Pap smear procedure (within 5 minutes post-procedure).). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 10 Mar 2026.