A hospital-based intervention using massage to reduce distress among oncology patients

Cancer Nurs. 2008 May-Jun;31(3):214-21. doi: 10.1097/01.NCC.0000305725.65345.f3.

Abstract

The objective of this study was to assess the impact of a Swedish massage intervention on oncology patients' perceived level of distress. Each patient's distress level was measured using 4 distinct dimensions: pain, physical discomfort, emotional discomfort, and fatigue. A total of 251 oncology patients volunteered to participate in this nonrandomized single-group pre- and post design study for over a 3-year period at a university hospital setting in southeastern Georgia. The analysis found a statistically significant reduction in patient-reported distress for all 4 measures: pain (F = 638.208, P = .000), physical discomfort (F = 742.575, P = .000), emotional discomfort (F = 512.000, P = .000), and fatigue (F = 597.976, P = .000). This reduction in patient distress was observed regardless of gender, age, ethnicity, or cancer type. These results lend support for the inclusion of a complementary massage therapy program for hospitalized oncology patients as a means of enhancing their course of treatment.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adaptation, Psychological
  • Complementary Therapies
  • Female
  • Hospitals*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Massage / nursing
  • Massage / psychology*
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasms / nursing
  • Neoplasms / psychology*
  • Pain / nursing
  • Pain / prevention & control*
  • Psychological Tests
  • Psychometrics
  • Quality of Life
  • Stress, Psychological / prevention & control*
  • Treatment Outcome