Effect of Shaitsu Massage on fatigue and anxiety in Cancer patients receiving chemotherapy

Abstract

Cancer patients survive with chemotherapy as it treats many types of cancer, but it often causes side effects like fatigue, anxiety, nausea, vomiting, etc.; hence this study was conducted to determine the effect of shiatsu massage on reducing the side effects of anxiety and fatigue. The research design was quasi-experimental, with 30 samples matched with the inclusion criteria at Saveetha Medical College and Hospital. Samples were assigned into experimental group (n=15) and the control group (n=15). The fatigue assessment scale and Hamilton anxiety measurement scale were used to measure fatigue and anxiety before and after the intervention for both groups. The experimental group received shiatsu massage for 2-8 minutes twice a day for seven days, whereas the control group received routine hospital care. After the intervention, the mean scores of fatigue and anxiety are significantly lower than before the intervention (p<0.001). The result also showed the post-test mean score of fatigue and anxiety is significantly (p<0.001) less in the experimental group than in the control group.  The study findings conclude that shiatsu massage effectively reduces fatigue and anxiety among chemotherapy patients. Shiatsu massage is also non-invasive, cost-effective, non-pharmacological, and feasible to practice across the continuum of outpatient and inpatient settings throughout chemotherapy treatment.