{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,13]],"date-time":"2026-10-13T12:12:55Z","timestamp":1791893575194,"version":"4.3.4"},"reference-count":32,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,13]],"date-time":"2026-02-13T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1770940800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Wroclaw University of Health and Sport Sciences statutory funds","award":["Z.23.03"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["Z.23.03"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["JCM"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background\/Objectives: Patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) are at a significant risk for depressive and anxiety disorders, including severe depression. The use of virtual reality (VR) during hemodialysis can significantly impact psychological well-being and thus overall quality of life. The aim of the study was to assess the effects of VR therapy undertaken by hemodialysis (HD) patients on depression, anxiety, perceived self-efficacy and life satisfaction. Methods: Hemodialysis (HD) patients were recruited from the Dialysis Centre at St. Luke\u2019s Hospital in Boles\u0142awiec. Group I (experimental EG) included 16 HD patients, and Group II (control CG) included 22 HD patients (no VR session). The EG used VR for one month (maximum 14 sessions); the CG was the same group of patients assessed over a one-month period prior to the intervention. VR therapy took place at the beginning of dialysis, three times a week for one month. A personal questionnaire, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES) and the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) were used. Results: In the group of patients undergoing VR therapy, a significant reduction in the level of anxiety, depression and stress was observed, as well as a significant increase in life satisfaction and self-efficacy levels compared to the control group. Conclusions: Undertaking VR therapy during dialysis for patients with ESRD is beneficial, improves mood, satisfaction with life, and perceived self-efficacy, and reduces anxiety, but multi-center studies are needed on a larger group of patients.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm15041489","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,13]],"date-time":"2026-02-13T16:09:32Z","timestamp":1770998972000},"page":"1489","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Assessment of Depression and Anxiety in Hemodialysis Patients Undergoing VR Therapy\u2014Pilot Study"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9747-3098","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"\u0141ukasz","family":"Rogowski","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Health and Physical Culture Sciences, Witelon Collegium State University, 59-220 Legnica, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6502-0374","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mariusz","family":"Kusztal","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Nephrology and Transplantation Medicine, Wroclaw Medical University, 50-367 Wroclaw, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5232-1688","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Joanna","family":"Kowalska","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Physiotherapy, Wroclaw University of Health and Sport Sciences, 51-612 Wroclaw, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2070-8535","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ma\u0142gorzata","family":"Stefa\u0144ska","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Physiotherapy, Wroclaw University of Health and Sport Sciences, 51-612 Wroclaw, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Agnieszka","family":"Zembro\u0144-\u0141acny","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Applied and Clinical Physiology, Collegium Medicum, University of Zielona Gora, 65-417 Zielona Gora, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5477-2020","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Tomasz","family":"Go\u0142\u0119biowski","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Nephrology and Transplantation Medicine, Wroclaw Medical University, 50-367 Wroclaw, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3511-7623","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Wioletta","family":"Dziubek","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Physiotherapy, Wroclaw University of Health and Sport Sciences, 51-612 Wroclaw, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,13]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"786","DOI":"10.1093\/ckj\/sfab261","article-title":"EQUAL Study Investigators, Associations between depressive symptoms and disease progression in older patients with chronic kidney disease: Results of the EQUAL study","volume":"15","author":"Maarse","year":"2022","journal-title":"Clin. 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