Perceived Benefits and Challenges of VR for Medical Use: A Comparative Analysis of Korean and U.S. Students

Perceived Benefits and Challenges of VR for Medical Use: A Comparative Analysis of Korean and U.S. Students

Ho Jun Lee, Dae Woon Yoo, Arthur Lee, Hee Suk Han, Subin Chun

Abstract

Virtual reality (VR) has gained increasing attention in recent years across the world for its potential to be applied to the field of medicine and medical care, suggesting practical benefits of VR in medicine and medical care in the near future. However, such benefits is likely to entail many challenges, and therefore this study examines perceived benefits and challenges of VR for medical use through a comparative analysis of Korean and U.S. students. According to the results, The participants had a favorable view of benefits of VR for medical use, and U.S. students were more likely to have this view than Korean students. The participants had a favorable view of the ability to overcome challenges in the application of VR for medical use, and U.S. students were more likely to have this view than Korean students. The respondents emphasized safety and security as the most important challenge, followed by technical challenges (including potential health effects), newness, and complexity, in that order. Korean respondents identified safety and security as the most important challenge, followed by technical challenges, newness, and complexity, in that order. U.S. respondents identified technical challenges as the most important challenge, followed by safety and security, newness, and complexity, in that order.

Keywords: Perceived Benefits and Challenges of VR, Medical Use, Comparative Analysis, Korean and U.S. Students