Single and Combined Use of Benson Relaxation Technique and Oxygen Therapy on Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting in Gastric Cancer Patients.

BACKGROUND: Nausea and vomiting are the most common complications of chemotherapy encountered by cancer patients. To alleviate these complications and reduce patients' problems, it is necessary to use complementary methods. OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to investigate the effect of single and combined use of the Benson relaxation technique and oxygen therapy on chemotherapy-induced nausea, vomiting, and retching in patients with gastric cancer. METHODS: This is a single-blind, four-arm, 2 × 2 factorial-design randomized clinical trial, in which a total of 100 patients with gastric cancer were enrolled and assigned to four groups of relaxation therapy, oxygen therapy, combined therapy, and control (n = 25 in each group) using simple random allocation. The intervention program included the application of Benson relaxation technique, supplemental oxygen therapy, and a combination of both. The control group merely received routine care. Data were collected using the Rhodes Index of Nausea and Vomiting Form 2 (INV-2). RESULTS: The results of the Kruskal-Wallis H test showed that there was a statistically significant difference in the mean scores of nausea, vomiting, retching, and acute phase between the four groups (p = 0.001). However, there was a statistically significant difference only in the mean score of retching in this regard for the delayed phase (p = 0.02). CONCLUSION: Overall, the single use of Benson relaxation technique and the combined use of this technique and oxygen therapy were shown to be more effective in managing chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.

Social support and posttraumatic growth in Iranian burn survivors: The mediating role of spirituality.

BACKGROUND: Social support and spirituality are important issues among burn survivors that appear to affect their posttraumatic growth (PTG). AIM: To investigate the relationship between social support and PTG in Iranian burn survivors, as mediated by their perceptions of spiritual well-being. METHOD: This is a correlation study with a cross-sectional design, and it uses anonymous questionnaires as study instruments (i.e. Posttraumatic Growth Inventory, Spiritual Well-Being Scale and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support). A total of 118 questionnaires were sent to participants by post. Nine envelopes were not returned, and seven questionnaires were incompletely filled. Data were collected from 102 burn survivors who had a history of hospitalisation at Imam Khomeini Teaching Hospitals of Urmia, the capital of Western Azerbaijan Province, northwest of Iran. Structural equation modelling and bootstrapping procedures were employed to identify the mediating role of their perceptions of spiritual well-being. RESULTS: The mean scores of social support (ranging from 12 to 84), PTG (ranging from 0 to 105) and the spirituality (ranging from 20 to120) among the participants were 56.96, 78.13 and 92.15, respectively. The results confirmed our hypothesised model. All the latent variables (variables that are not directly observed but are rather inferred from other variables that are observed (directly measured by items of an instrument)) of study were significantly correlated in the predicted directions. Social support and spirituality were significant predictors of PTG. Spirituality partially mediated the relationship between social support and PTG. The mediating role of the spirituality suggests that social support increases PTG, both directly and indirectly. CONCLUSION: The mediating role of spirituality should provide new visions for the augmentation of PTG in burn survivors.

Hypnosis for reduction of background pain and pain anxiety in men with burns: A blinded, randomised, placebo-controlled study.

INTRODUCTION: 'Background pain' and 'pain anxiety' are among the numerous problems of patients with burns. Non-pharmacological and pharmacological interventions have been used to reduce background pain and pain anxiety. This study compared the effectiveness of hypnosis and 'neutral hypnosis' (as a placebo in the control group) in decreasing the background burn pain and pain anxiety of adult male survivors with burns. DESIGN: This is a blinded, randomised, placebo-controlled study. METHODS: Sixty men with burns were included in the minimisation method (30 individuals in the intervention group and 30 individuals in the control group). Four hypnotherapy sessions were performed every other day for each participant in the intervention group. Four neutral hypnosis sessions were performed every other day in the control group. Burn pain and pain anxiety of the patients in both groups were measured at the end of the second and fourth sessions. Repeated measures ANOVA was used for data analysis. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the groups in the reduction in background pain intensity. There was a significant reduction in background pain quality and pain anxiety in the intervention group during the four hypnosis sessions. After two hypnotherapy sessions, a significant reduction was observed in the level of background pain quality and pain anxiety of participants. CONCLUSION: Hypnosis is effective in reducing background pain quality and pain anxiety of men with burns.