The anxiolytic effect of aromatherapy on patients awaiting ambulatory surgery: a randomized controlled trial.
The aim of this study was to determine if aromatherapy could reduce preoperative anxiety in ambulatory surgery patients. A total of 109 preoperative patients were randomly assigned to experimental (bergamot essential oil) and control (water vapor) conditions and their responses to the State Trait Anxiety Inventory and vital signs were monitored. Patients were stratified by previous surgical experience, but that did not influence the results. All those exposed to bergamot essential oil aromatherapy showed a greater reduction in preoperative anxiety than those in the control groups. Aromatherapy may be a useful part of a holistic approach to reducing preoperative anxiety before ambulatory surgery.
School of Nursing, College of Nursing, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan ; Department of Nursing, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11696, Taiwan ; Head Nurse of Operating Room, Department of Nursing, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11696, Taiwan ; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan.
Cheng-Hua
CH
Ni
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan ; School of Gerontology Healthcare Management, College of Nursing, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan ; Center for Evidence-Based Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan.
Wen-Hsuan
WH
Hou
School of Nursing, College of Nursing, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan ; Department of Nursing, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11696, Taiwan.
Ching-Chiu
CC
Kao
Department of Nursing, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11696, Taiwan.
Ming-Li
ML
Chang
School of Nursing, College of Nursing, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan ; Department of Nursing, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11696, Taiwan.
Lee-Fen
LF
Yu
Department of Otolaryngology, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11696, Taiwan ; Department of Otolaryngology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan.
Chia-Che
CC
Wu
Center for Evidence-Based Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan ; Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan ; Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11696, Taiwan ; Evidence-Based Medicine Center, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11696, Taiwan.
Chiehfeng
C
Chen