Healing touch as a supportive intervention for adult acute leukemia patients: a pilot investigation of effects on distress and symptoms.
BACKGROUND
Goals were to determine the feasibility of conducting a study of Healing Touch (HT) for acute leukemia patients and to obtain preliminary data on its effectiveness.


METHODS
Forty hospitalized leukemia patients completed a brief survey of HT knowledge/experience. A prospective cohort (N = 12) was invited to participate in an HT intervention (9 30-minute sessions over 3 weeks); they completed measures of distress, symptoms, and sleep (at weeks 1 and 5), and completed single item ratings of fatigue, nausea, distress, and pain immediately pre-post selected HT sessions. The Wilcoxon signed rank test was used to analyze change in pre-post session ratings and distress, symptom, and sleep measures.


RESULTS
Among survey respondents, 8% had used HT in the past, and 71% were interested in using HT. In the prospective cohort, there were significant pre-post session improvements in fatigue and nausea (but not in distress and pain). There were no significant changes between weeks 1 and 5 in distress, symptoms, or sleep. Ratings and qualitative feedback on HT were positive, focused mainly on feeling relaxed following HT sessions.


CONCLUSIONS
It is feasible to recruit patients hospitalized for acute leukemia to a study of HT. Preliminary data on short-term improvements in symptoms indicate these are promising outcomes for future study.
Danhauer
Suzanne C
SC
Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Hematology and Oncology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157-1082, USA. danhauer@wfubmc.edu
Tooze
Janet A
JA
Holder
Paige
P
Miller
Christina
C
Jesse
Michelle T
MT
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007938:Leukemia / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011581:Psychological Tests; D011594:Psychometrics; D036301:Qualitative Research; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D019124:Therapeutic Touch; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome