Introduction and Objective: Transitioning to college increases the risk for hypoglycemia due to irregular schedules, alcohol use, and unpredictable access to food or glucose, highlighting the need for campus-based training to improve hypoglycemia-related safety. This study evaluated the effectiveness of HYPO-VR for on-campus hypoglycemia education.Methods: We conducted a two-arm pilot educational trial with undergraduate students. Participants were assigned to either the VR condition or a comparison condition using a quasi-randomized, classroom-level procedure. Participants in the VR condition viewed the simulations in a head-mounted displays, whereas participants in the comparison condition viewed the same simulations on a two-dimensional (2D) screen. Both study arms received identical, synchronous instruction covering types of diabetes, hypoglycemia and its treatment, and glucagon administration. Participants completed pre- and post-questionnaires on hypoglycemia knowledge, confidence in treating hypoglycemia, and empathy.Results: A total of 100 undergraduate students participated (VR: n=52, 2D: n=48); demographic characteristics did not differ between conditions. Within the VR condition, participants showed improvements in hypoglycemia knowledge (p<.001, d=1.4), confidence in treating hypoglycemia (p<.001, d=1.5), and empathy (p=0.002, d=0.5). Within the 2D condition, participants showed improvements in hypoglycemia knowledge (p<.001, d=1.2) and confidence in treating hypoglycemia (p<.001, d=1.9). In between-group analyses, empathy was greater in the VR condition than the 2D condition (p=0.01, d=0.5).Conclusion: HYPO-VR improved hypoglycemia knowledge and confidence in treating hypoglycemia in both the VR and 2D conditions; however, only VR training improved empathy. Given the role of empathic concern in altruistic motivation, VR-based training may enhance college students’ willingness to assist peers with type 1 diabetes during hypoglycemic emergencies.
E.A. Beverly: None. M. Love: None. C. Love: None.
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