title: A hospital-based intervention using massage to reduce distress among oncology patients.
abstract: The objective of this study was to assess the impact of a Swedish massage intervention on oncology patients' perceived level of distress. Each patient's distress level was measured using 4 distinct dimensions: pain, physical discomfort, emotional discomfort, and fatigue. A total of 251 oncology patients volunteered to participate in this nonrandomized single-group pre- and post design study for over a 3-year period at a university hospital setting in southeastern Georgia. The analysis found a statistically significant reduction in patient-reported distress for all 4 measures: pain (F = 638.208, P = .000), physical discomfort (F = 742.575, P = .000), emotional discomfort (F = 512.000, P = .000), and fatigue (F = 597.976, P = .000). This reduction in patient distress was observed regardless of gender, age, ethnicity, or cancer type. These results lend support for the inclusion of a complementary massage therapy program for hospitalized oncology patients as a means of enhancing their course of treatment.
authors.affiliation: Supportive Services, Curtis and Elizabeth Anderson Cancer Institute, Memorial Health University Medical Center, Savannah, GA 31403, USA. CurriJe1@memorialhealth.com
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Currin
authors.forename: Edward Anton
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Meister
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000529:Complementary Therapies; D005260:Female; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008405:Massage / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D010146:Pain / Q000451:nursing / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011581:Psychological Tests; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016896:Treatment Outcome