The effectiveness of slow-stroke back massage on hospitalization anxiety and physiological parameters in school-age children : a randomized clinical trial study

Abstract EN

Background : The outcomes of hospitalization anxiety are mental health disorders.

One of the methods of anxiety reduction is massage, which can cause reduction of pain and changes in physiological parameters.

Objectives : This study aimed to investigate the effects of slow-stroke back massage (SSBM) on hospitalization anxiety and physiological parameters in school-age children.

Methods : This clinical trial study included 80 school-aged children from Ali Ebne Abi Taleb hospital, located in Zahedan, who were selected using sequential sampling and randomly divided into two groups : a massage group (40) and a control group (40).

Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire and the state-trait anxiety inventory for children (STAIC).

Subjects in the massage group received SSBM, using sesame oil, for 3 days.

Massage was given three times a day, and each massage session lasted for 15-20 minutes.

Physiological parameters and hospitalization anxiety were determined from the second to fifth days.

T-test and Chi-square were used for analysis data.

Results: There was a statistically significant difference (P < 0.05) between the mean of systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressures (DBP), and pulse rate (PR) in the massage group prior to intervention (97.05_20.7, 60.35_16.69 and 95.45_13.02 respectively) and on the fifth day (88.32_16.58, 55.95_12.7 and 90.45_15.1 respectively).

However, no difference was observed in mean respiratory rate (RR) in the massage group from the second day (17.55_3.6) to fifth day (17.62_3.27) (P = 0.096).

The mean of state of anxiety, which was 36.4_5.1 before intervention, was reduced by the fifth day to 31.2_5.1 in the massage group (P < 0.0001, t = 5.2).

Conclusions : The results suggest that massage reduced hospitalization anxiety, PR, and BP.

Therefore, we propose that nurses can use massage to reduce anxiety in school-age children in hospital.

This method has no side-effects and is easily applicable.