The Effects of Reflexology on Fatigue Severity of Patients with Cancer

Abstract

Introduction: Breast cancer is a major threat to women's health and a common factor that can reduce their life<br />expectancy. Complementary medicine such as reflexology is known to reduce fatigue severity in cancer patients. The<br />present study aimed to cultivate the effect of reflexology on fatigue severity of patients with breast cancer. Methods:<br />The present pre-post clinical trial recruited 57 patients with breast cancer and involved an experimental and a control<br />group. All patients were livening in Ilam, Iran. Patients were randomly assigned to two groups of experimental (N=27)<br />and control (N=30). The experimental group received reflexology for 4 sessions. Data were collected using Fatigue<br />severity scale (FSS) and demographic information questionnaire. FSS was completed by the patients twice; before the<br />intervention and 2 months after the intervention. Data were analyzed using SPSS and running t-test and ANOVA. Results:<br />Results showed no significant difference in fatigue severity between experimental (45.44±5.30) and control (43.66±7.68)<br />groups prior to the intervention (p>0.05). However, after conducting the intervention, a significant difference in fatigue<br />severity was seen between the experimental (20.66±4.54) and control (40.36±9.58) groups (p=0.000). Conclusion: The<br />present study showed that reflexology decrease fatigue severity in patients with breast cancer and community health<br />nursing can to use of these complementary medicine to increase patients health conditions.