Mahla Rajabzadeh, Seyed Reza Mazloum, Samira Mohajer, Hamidreza Bahrami Taghanaki,
Volume 28, Issue 2 (6-2022)
Abstract
Background & Aim: Decreased sleep quality is one of the most common complications of radiotherapy in cancer patients. Although soaking feet in warm water and foot reflexology are two easy, inexpensive, and accessible ways to improve sleep quality, which one is more effective, has not been evaluated in existing studies. The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of soaking feet in warm water and foot reflexology on sleep quality in patients undergoing radiotherapy.
Methods & Materials: This two-group randomized clinical trial was conducted on 62 cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy at Reza (AS) Medical Center in Mashhad in 2020. Patients were randomly allocated into two groups of soaking feet in warm water and reflexology. In the group of soaking feet in warm water, patients soaked their feet in 41 °C water for 20 minutes every night from the seventh day after starting radiotherapy for two weeks. In the foot reflexology group, the intervention was performed from the seventh day after starting radiotherapy for two weeks every night for 10 minutes for each foot in three areas including solar plexus, pituitary gland and pineal gland. Sleep quality score was assessed using the Petersburg Sleep Quality Questionnaire on the seventh day of radiotherapy (pre-test) and then 7, 14 and 28 days later. Data were analyzed by the SPSS software version 20 using descriptive/inferential statistics.
Results: The results showed the total score of sleep quality in the two groups decreased significantly over time (P<0.001), and this reduction was from 13.81±1.33 on the pre-test day to 4.86±1.73 on the day 28 for the reflexology group, and from 13.55±1.23 to 7.92±1.97 for the group of soaking feet in warm water. It should be noted that a decrease in the score of Petersburg questionnaire means an improvement in sleep quality.
Conclusion: Foot reflexology and soaking feet in warm water improve sleep quality in patients undergoing radiotherapy but foot reflexology is more effective in improving sleep quality. Therefore, using this method is recommended.
Clinical trial registry: IRCT20190625044009N1
Samira Mohajer, Seyyed Reza Mazlum, Mahla Rajabzadeh, Mohammad Namazinia,
Volume 28, Issue 3 (10-2022)
Abstract
Background & Aim: Diagnosis of cancer causes deep emotional problems such as depression in a patient with cancer. Laughter yoga involves laughter exercises that may be effective in treating depression in patients undergoing chemotherapy. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of laughter yoga on depression in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.
Methods & Materials: This two-group randomized clinical trial was conducted on 69 cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy at Reza Medical Center in Mashhad in 2018. Patients were randomly divided into intervention or control groups. For the intervention group, before chemotherapy a 20-30 minute laughter yoga session was performed daily for four days. The control group received routine self-care training. Depression was assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory before and after the laughter yoga sessions. Data were analyzed using Chi-square, independent t-test, Fisher’s exact test, and paired
t-test through the SPSS software version 20.
Results: Women made up 67% (n=46) of the participants in the study. The mean age of patients in the intervention group was 49.0±9.6 years and in the control group 45.2±12.6 years. The mean score of depression in the post-test in the intervention group (7.50±6.04) was significantly lower than that of in the control group (12.54±7.53) (P<0.005). In within-group comparison, there was a significant decrease in the depression score in the intervention group (P<0.001).
Conclusion: Laughter yoga improved depression in the patients undergoing chemotherapy. Thus, its use is recommended for these patients.
Clinical trial registry: IRCT20180429039463N1
