The potential for haptic touch technology to supplement human empathetic touch during radiotherapy
File(s)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Goldsworthy, Simon
Zheng, Caroline Yan
McNair, Helen
McGregor, Alison
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Radiotherapy for cancer is an effective treatment but requires precise delivery. Patients are required to remain still in the same position during procedure which may be uncomfortable. This combined with high anxiety experienced by patients, and feelings of isolation, have indicated a need for comfort interventions. Care conveyed through empathetic touch promotes comfort, individual attention and presence and provides both psychological and physical comfort at the same time. Evidence in nursing and care literature showed that empathetic touch interventions have a significant role in promoting comfort, facilitating communication between care recipients and caregivers. However, the application of empathetic touch interventions may be challenging to administer due to the safety concern in the radiotherapy environment. The emergence of haptic technologies that enable the communication of touch remotely may have a potential to fill this gap. We take inspiration from both clinical empathetic touch in radiotherapy practice, as well as affective haptic technologies to envision the opportunities for haptic technologies as a complimentary comfort intervention to supplement human empathetic touch during radiotherapy.
Date Issued
2020-12-01
Date Acceptance
2020-09-01
Citation
Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences, 2020, 51 (4, Suppl.), pp.S39-S43
ISSN
0820-5930
Publisher
Elsevier
Start Page
S39
End Page
S43
Journal / Book Title
Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences
Volume
51
Issue
4, Suppl.
Copyright Statement
© 2020 Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of Canadian Association of Medical Radiation Technologists. This manuscript is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Licence http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
Identifier
http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000599918300012&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=1ba7043ffcc86c417c072aa74d649202
Subjects
Science & Technology
Life Sciences & Biomedicine
Radiology, Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging
Comfort interventions
Radiotherapy
Haptics
Tactile touch
Empathetic touch
PLEASANT TOUCH
COMFORT
INTERVENTIONS
AFFERENTS
RESPONSES
ANXIETY
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2020-09-24