title: Use of aromatherapy with hospice patients to decrease pain, anxiety, and depression and to promote an increased sense of well-being.
abstract: This study measured the responses of 17 cancer hospice patients to humidified essential lavender oil aromatherapy. Vital signs as well as levels of pain, anxiety, depression, and sense of well-being were measured (using 11-point verbal analogs). Each subject was measured on three different days before and after a 60-minute session consisting of (1) no treatment (control); (2) water humidification (control); or (3) 3-percent lavender aromatherapy. Results reflected a positive, yet small, change in blood pressure and pulse, pain, anxiety, depression, and sense of well-being after both the humidified water treatment and the lavender treatment. Following the control session (no treatment), there was also slight improvement in vital signs, depression, and sense of well-being, but not in pain or anxiety levels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, USA.
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Louis
authors.forename: Susan D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Kowalski
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000628:therapy*; D019341:Aromatherapy; D003863:Depression / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D017051:Hospice Care / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D027523:Lavandula; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology; D059408:Pain Management; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015144:Southeastern United States
chemical_list: D010938:Plant Oils