A research report submitted to the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Physiotherapy
Johannesburg, 2017 / Background: Burns are a significant cause of paediatric injuries, particularly in low and middle-income countries, where more than 90% of burn-related paediatric deaths occur. Physiotherapy is an essential, sometimes painful, component of burn rehabilitation therapy. The popularity of the video game use in burns rehabilitation has grown because, in addition to facilitating range of motion (ROM) in an effort to prevent joint contracture formation, the virtual imaging characteristics of these games provides additional benefit of distraction from pain. Video games provide a more efficient, effective and enjoyable method training, and are a helpful adjunct to rehabilitation.
Aim: To investigate the effect of using the Xbox Kinect™ on discharge outcomes and early activity levels of children in the Paediatric Burns Unit (PBU) at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital (CHBAH)
Methods: This non-equivalent post-test only control group design study took place over a period of time until the total number of children required was achieved for each group. The control group was the first group of children recruited to the study and received standard physiotherapy treatment and rehabilitation. The experimental group was the second group of children recruited to the study who received standard physiotherapy treatment and rehabilitation as well as the Xbox Kinect™.
Comparisons were made only after the intervention and analysed. Outcome measures for each participant were ROM, Activities Scale for Kids© participation (ASK©p) and a modified Wong-Baker FACES® enjoyment rating scale. On discharge from the unit, ROM assessments and the modified Wong-Baker FACES® enjoyment rating scale were administered. On follow-up one week post discharge, ROM re-assessments were done and the ASK©p was administered. A questionnaire regarding the use of the Xbox Kinect™ was completed by health professionals working within the PBU.
Results: Seventy children were recruited into the study of which the data for 66 were analysed. Thirty five children were part of the control group and 31 were part of the Xbox intervention group.
No significant difference was found between groups regarding demographic characteristics, the median age was seven years old and 55% of the participants were male. There was one mortality and five children in total were lost to follow up. The majority burns were as a result of hot water attributing to more than 50% of admissions, followed by flame burns (30%) and electrical burns (12%). This study population showed an overall total burn surface area (TBSA) of nine percent which were superficial partial in depth; this is seen as a minor burn injury. Forty percent were seen to have moderate-severe injury and three children were considered to have severe major burns > 30 % TBSA. We observed a greater proportion of injury involving the lower limbs (23.10%) and upper limbs (21.10%), followed by injury involving the trunk (11.40%), buttocks and genitalia (7.50%) and the head and neck regions (6.80%). There was no difference in length of stay (LoS) or the chance of Intensive Care Unit (ICU) stay between the two groups. In the intervention group 75% of the children received 2 or more Xbox Kinect™ sessions.
The Xbox Kinect™ was shown to be significant in achieving higher active range of movement (AROM) at discharge (p< 0.01) and at follow up (p< 0.01), and highlights the advantages it has in providing a more amusing and comfortable option as part of the burns rehabilitation process. By allowing the children to be more engaged in the Xbox Kinect™ experience and games, they were distracted and thus experienced less pain. In this study we found that TBSA% was a predictor of ASK©p scores (p= 0.03), thus the higher the burn percentage the lower the ASK©p scores. We also found that age (p= 0.05) and AROM (p= 0.04) were associated with ASK©p scores, thus the younger the child or a child with reduced AROM would have lower ASK©p scores. Fun and enjoyment (p<0.01) was found to be significant in this study, thus highlighting the fun and enjoyment factor the Xbox Kinect™ offers as part of therapy and as an adjunct to burns rehabilitation.
Thirty one questionnaires regarding the value and use of the Xbox Kinect™ were completed by health professionals working within the PBU. Many highlighted the value of fun, enjoyment and distraction the Xbox Kinect™ offered as part of the rehabilitation, as well as assisting in achieving more AROM but also indicated that the Xbox Kinect™ sessions still needed to be supervised and guided.
Conclusion: This study was the first study done in South Africa involving video game technology during physiotherapy within the paediatric burns population. The use of the Xbox Kinect™ as seen in this study has proven to be beneficial and a useful adjunct to burns rehabilitation within in the paediatric burns population. This distraction and decline in pain assists in reducing the fear associated with movement these burns children experience and assist in improvements related to activity and ultimately age-appropriate play and activities of daily living (ADLs). / MT2017
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:wits/oai:wiredspace.wits.ac.za:10539/23234 |
| Date | January 2017 |
| Creators | Lozano, Eleonora Isabella |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | application/pdf |
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