Enhancing health literacy and academic success through virtual reality in medical imaging education

Q: What was the main purpose of the study?

To assess the effectiveness of integrating VR-based training into the medical imaging curriculum, focusing on eHealth literacy, health-related behaviors, and academic outcomes.

Q: How were participants assigned and which outcomes were measured?

A total of 96 students were divided into a VR-based training group and a traditional training group. Outcomes were measured using eHEALS, HBS, CES-D, and a Breast Health and Examination test, with additional satisfaction/self-confidence measured in the VR group.

Q: Did VR training outperform traditional training in key results?

Both groups showed significant improvement in BHE scores after training, but there were no statistically significant between-group differences in eHEALS, HBS, CES-D, or BHE.

Sep 29, 2026

Upload by Mary Man

Quasi-experimental research evaluating virtual reality (VR)-based training in medical imaging education. Ninety-six students were assigned to a VR training group or a traditional training group and outcomes were measured with eHealth Literacy Scale (eHEALS), Health-Related Behaviors Scale (HBS), CES-D, and a Breast Health and Examination (BHE) test. Post-training BHE improved on BHE in both groups without significant between-group differences on eHEALS, HBS, CES-D, or BHE. The VR group reported high satisfaction and self-confidence. Scenario-based virtual patients and simulated breast models created a low-risk, student-centered environment.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages14

Reading Time35 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Key Evidence and Theory Frameworks

TYPE Original Research PUBLISHED 22 December 2025 DOI 10.3389/fmed.2025.1703740 OPEN ACCESS EDITED BY Piotr Walecki, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Poland REVIEWED BY Cristian Vacacela Gomez, Universidad Tecnológica ECOTEC, Ecuador Talia Tene, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, Ecuador Diego Fabián Vique López, Escuela Superior Politécnica de Chimborazo, Ecuador Mohammed Kadri, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Morocco *CORRESPONDENCE Nuran Akyurt [nakyurt@hotmail.com](nakyurt@hotmail.com); [nakyurt@marmara.edu.tr](nakyurt@marmara.edu.tr) RECEIVED 30 September 2025 REVISED 22 November 2025 ACCEPTED 25 November 2025 PUBLISHED 22 December 2025 CITATION Akyurt N, Elshami W and Tekin HO (2025) Enhancing health literacy and academic success through virtual reality in medical imaging education. Front. Med. 12:1703740 . doi: 10.3389/fmed.2025.1703740 COPYRIGHT © 2025 Akyurt, Elshami and Tekin. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) . The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms. Enhancing health literacy and academic success through virtual reality in medical imaging education Nuran Akyurt 1*, Wiam Elshami2 and Huseyin Ozan Tekin2,3 1Vocational School of Health Services, Marmara University, Istanbul, Türkiye, 2 College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, 3 Computer Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Istinye University, Istanbul, Türkiye Introduction: This quasi-experimental study examined the effectiveness of integrating virtual reality (VR)-based training into the medical imaging curriculum, particularly in enhancing eHealth literacy, health-related behaviors, and academic outcomes. Methods: A total of 96 students participated, divided into a VR-based training group (n D 35) and a traditional training group (n D 61) . Grounded in Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory, Sweller’s Cognitive Load Theory, and the Cognitive-Affective Model of Immersive Learning (CAMIL), the study aimed to explore how immersive, student-centered learning environments inﬂuence health education outcomes. Data were collected using the eHealth Literacy Scale (eHEALS), Health-Related Behaviors Scale (HBS), Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), and Breast Health and Examination (BHE) test in both groups. The VR-based group also completed the Student Satisfaction and Self-Conﬁdence in Learning Scale (SCLS) . Results: Post-training BHE scores increased signiﬁcantly in both groups (p < 0:001), though no statistically signiﬁcant difference was observed between the groups in eHEALS, HBS, CES-D, or BHE scores. The VR-based group reported high satisfaction and self-conﬁdence (SCLS mean = 54:1 􀀆 4:1) . Conclusion: The use of scenario-based virtual patients and simulated breast models created a reﬂective, low-risk, and student-centered learning environment aligned with experiential and cognitive learning theories. The VRsupported breast health curriculum was associated with comparable learning outcomes to the traditional course, suggesting that immersive methods can provide an alternative mode of delivery in health education to foster motivation, self-efﬁcacy, and clinical competence. KEYWORDS virtual reality, immersive learning, experiential learning, student satisfaction, medical education, health literacy Frontiers in Medicine 01 [frontiersin.org](frontiersin.org) 1 Introduction Virtual reality (VR) is an advanced technology used to create computer-generated environments that closely resemble the realworld environment or sit

FAQs

What was the main purpose of the study?

To assess the effectiveness of integrating VR-based training into the medical imaging curriculum, focusing on eHealth literacy, health-related behaviors, and academic outcomes.

How were participants assigned and which outcomes were measured?

A total of 96 students were divided into a VR-based training group and a traditional training group. Outcomes were measured using eHEALS, HBS, CES-D, and a Breast Health and Examination test, with additional satisfaction/self-confidence measured in the VR group.

Did VR training outperform traditional training in key results?

Both groups showed significant improvement in BHE scores after training, but there were no statistically significant between-group differences in eHEALS, HBS, CES-D, or BHE.

Sep 29, 2026

Upload by Mary Man