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Research using app to help hospitalised children selected as a Crea Tech NHS case study
Research work which helps reduce anxiety among children having MRIs in hospital has been selected as a case study by the National Centre for Creative Health (NCCH).
The Glowing Stars study, led by Leeds Beckett University, uses participatory, arts-led, digital technology to help prepare young patients (4-11 age group) for MRIs
Professor Persephone Sextou from Leeds Beckett University and director of the Creative Arts and Health Research Lab (CAHREL) has led the study collaborating with partners from Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, industry partner Xploro, Edge Hill University and the University of Plymouth.
The study has led to them feeling less anxious and even smiling as they headed in for their scans.
Results
The study shows that the app significantly improved children’s understanding of the procedure and had a meaningful impact on their emotional regulation and wellbeing. Glowing Stars study addresses disadvantages the children may experience because of perioperative anxiety and proposes the innovative use of non-pharmaceutical, digital educational solutions. The study’s success also increased clinical staff awareness of the benefits of participatory digital preparation for MRI scans and fostered support for future clinical trials to further improve paediatric MRI services.
NCCH CreaTech event
Now, Professor Sextou has been invited to participate to the in-person audience for the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Creative Health roundtable on Digital Health and CreaTech. The event will be in House of Lords on Monday 20th April. The roundtable will explore how creative health can support the NHS to deliver its digital ambitions as outlined in the government’s 10 year health plan.
Glowing Stars Publication
Sextou P, Loizou M, Bray L, Fabri M (2026), "GLOWING STARS: improving the NHS hospital experience of children (aged 4–11) having an MRI scan using a digital app with augmented reality/avatar, and gamification". Journal of Enabling Technologies, Vol. 20 No. 1 pp. 56–71, doi: https://doi.org/10.1108/JET-10-2025-0074
Further information
CAHREL: https://www.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/research/larc/creative-arts-and-health-laboratory/
In this article
Professor Persephone (Persefoni) Sextou
Professor Persephone Sextou is a leading expert in Applied Theatre for Health and Wellbeing. Her co-design, arts-based and cross-disciplinary research model in paediatrics and palliative care informs policy and practice of health and education services in the UK and Australia.
