The Blood Donation Crisis and Virtual Reality Applications
Disciplines
Industrial Engineering | Other Computer Engineering
Abstract (300 words maximum)
In the United States, blood donation is imperative to the health and well-being of the population. Despite this, in recent years, the supply and flow of blood has decreased dramatically due to varying factors such as anxiety and stress. But, with blood demand rising by 2-3% every year and only about 3-4% of the population willing to donate, it is imperative to implement easily assessable methods that combat stress and anxiety and increase blood donation retention. In particular, recent studies delving into virtual reality implementations have highlighted a potential solution to the blood donation crisis. The overall purpose of this research is to accurately determine causes of low blood donation and identify possible solutions in the field of virtual reality. Specifically, we delve into contemporary stress theory, implementations with landscapes and soundscapes, and the idea of presence. The findings of this study show that virtual reality holds promise as a potential remedy to address the declining American blood donation rates. The contemporary stress theory has found that stress and anxiety have a significant impact on deterring potential donors. The application of VR technology to create immersive landscapes and soundscapes has the potential to alleviate anxiety and stress, thereby increasing the willingness of individuals to donate blood. One important discovery is that VR can strongly evoke a sense of presence, where participants feel completely immersed in the virtual world. This sense of presence can distract donors from the stress related to the blood donation process and make the experience more enjoyable, leading to an increase in retention rates. In conclusion, the study contends that utilizing VR technology can improve the issues of stress and anxiety in relation to blood donation, possibly increasing the number of donors and helping meet the rising demand for blood.
Academic department under which the project should be listed
Other
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Robert Keyser
Additional Faculty
Maria Valero, College of Computing and Software Engineering - Software, mvalero2@kennesaw.edu
Lin Li, Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering Eng, lli19@kennesaw.edu
The Blood Donation Crisis and Virtual Reality Applications
In the United States, blood donation is imperative to the health and well-being of the population. Despite this, in recent years, the supply and flow of blood has decreased dramatically due to varying factors such as anxiety and stress. But, with blood demand rising by 2-3% every year and only about 3-4% of the population willing to donate, it is imperative to implement easily assessable methods that combat stress and anxiety and increase blood donation retention. In particular, recent studies delving into virtual reality implementations have highlighted a potential solution to the blood donation crisis. The overall purpose of this research is to accurately determine causes of low blood donation and identify possible solutions in the field of virtual reality. Specifically, we delve into contemporary stress theory, implementations with landscapes and soundscapes, and the idea of presence. The findings of this study show that virtual reality holds promise as a potential remedy to address the declining American blood donation rates. The contemporary stress theory has found that stress and anxiety have a significant impact on deterring potential donors. The application of VR technology to create immersive landscapes and soundscapes has the potential to alleviate anxiety and stress, thereby increasing the willingness of individuals to donate blood. One important discovery is that VR can strongly evoke a sense of presence, where participants feel completely immersed in the virtual world. This sense of presence can distract donors from the stress related to the blood donation process and make the experience more enjoyable, leading to an increase in retention rates. In conclusion, the study contends that utilizing VR technology can improve the issues of stress and anxiety in relation to blood donation, possibly increasing the number of donors and helping meet the rising demand for blood.