The Effect of Deep Breathing Exercise and 4-7-8 Breathing Techniques Applied to Patients After Bariatric Surgery on Anxiety and Quality of Life

Abstract

Background: This study aims to determine the effects of the deep breathing exercise and the 4-7-8 breathing technique applied to patients after bariatric surgery on their anxiety and quality of life.

Methods: The research was carried out using the pre-test post-test randomized controlled experimental research design with a control group. A total of 90 patients (30 patients in the deep breathing group, 30 patients in the 4-7-8 breathing group, and 30 patients in the control group) who met the research inclusion criteria were included in the study. While routine care was applied to the control group, 1 group was given deep breathing training, and the other group was given 4-7-8 breathing training. Personal Information Form, the Obesity-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire, Status, and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory were used for data collection.

Results: There was no significant difference between the groups in terms of descriptive characteristics (p > 0.05). It was found that the post-test State Anxiety levels of the 4-7-8 breathing group were lower than the mean scores of the deep breathing group and the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.05). It was found that the quality of life scores of the patients in the deep breathing group increased significantly in the post-test compared to the pre-test.

Conclusion: The 4-7-8 breathing technique was found to be beneficial in reducing the anxiety level of patients in clinical practice after bariatric surgery. It was found that deep breathing exercise was also effective in improving the quality of life.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05492929.

Keywords: 4–7-8 breathing technique; Anxiety; Bariatric surgery; Deep breathing exercise; Quality of life.