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Partner-delivered reflexology: effects on cancer pain and anxiety.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Stephenson, NLN; Swanson, M; Dalton, J; Keefe, FJ; Engelke, M
Published in: Oncol Nurs Forum
January 2007

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To compare the effects of partner-delivered foot reflexology and usual care plus attention on patients' perceived pain and anxiety. DESIGN: The experimental pretest/post-test design included patient-partner dyads randomly assigned to an experimental or control group. SETTING: Four hospitals in the southeastern United States. SAMPLE: 42 experimental and 44 control subjects comprised 86 dyads of patients with metastatic cancer and their partners, representing 16 different types of cancer; 23% of patients had lung cancer, followed by breast, colorectal, and head and neck cancer and lymphoma. The subjects had a mean age of 58.3 years, 51% were female, 66% had a high school education or less, and 58% were Caucasian, 40% were African American, and 1% were Filipino. METHODS: The intervention included a 15- to 30-minute teaching session on foot reflexology to the partner by a certified reflexologist, an optional 15- to 30-minute foot reflexology session for the partner, and a 30-minute, partner-delivered foot reflexology intervention for the patient. The control group received a 30-minute reading session from their partners. MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES: Pain and anxiety. FINDINGS: Following the initial partner-delivered foot reflexology, patients experienced a significant decrease in pain intensity and anxiety. CONCLUSIONS: A nurse reflexologist taught partners how to perform reflexology on patients with metastatic cancer pain in the hospital, resulting in an immediate decrease in pain intensity and anxiety; minimal changes were seen in the control group, who received usual care plus attention. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: Hospitals could have qualified professionals offer reflexology as a complementary therapy and teach interested partners the modality.

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Published In

Oncol Nurs Forum

DOI

EISSN

1538-0688

Publication Date

January 2007

Volume

34

Issue

1

Start / End Page

127 / 132

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Spouses
  • Pain Measurement
  • Pain
  • Nursing
  • Neoplasms
  • Neoplasm Metastasis
  • Middle Aged
  • Massage
  • Male
  • Humans
 

Citation

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Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
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Stephenson, N. L. N., Swanson, M., Dalton, J., Keefe, F. J., & Engelke, M. (2007). Partner-delivered reflexology: effects on cancer pain and anxiety. Oncol Nurs Forum, 34(1), 127–132. https://doi.org/10.1188/07.ONF.127-132
Stephenson, Nancy L. N., Melvin Swanson, Joann Dalton, Frances J. Keefe, and Martha Engelke. “Partner-delivered reflexology: effects on cancer pain and anxiety.Oncol Nurs Forum 34, no. 1 (January 2007): 127–32. https://doi.org/10.1188/07.ONF.127-132.
Stephenson NLN, Swanson M, Dalton J, Keefe FJ, Engelke M. Partner-delivered reflexology: effects on cancer pain and anxiety. Oncol Nurs Forum. 2007 Jan;34(1):127–32.
Stephenson, Nancy L. N., et al. “Partner-delivered reflexology: effects on cancer pain and anxiety.Oncol Nurs Forum, vol. 34, no. 1, Jan. 2007, pp. 127–32. Pubmed, doi:10.1188/07.ONF.127-132.
Stephenson NLN, Swanson M, Dalton J, Keefe FJ, Engelke M. Partner-delivered reflexology: effects on cancer pain and anxiety. Oncol Nurs Forum. 2007 Jan;34(1):127–132.

Published In

Oncol Nurs Forum

DOI

EISSN

1538-0688

Publication Date

January 2007

Volume

34

Issue

1

Start / End Page

127 / 132

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Spouses
  • Pain Measurement
  • Pain
  • Nursing
  • Neoplasms
  • Neoplasm Metastasis
  • Middle Aged
  • Massage
  • Male
  • Humans