Determining the Efficacy of Essential Oil Aromatherapy in Children Undergoing Port Access

Stanford University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Anxiety and Fear; Pain

Treatments: Other: STILL QuickTAB Medipack blended scent aromatherapy, manufactured by Soothing Scents

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT05696899

IRB-68138

PEDSVAR0068 (Other Identifier)

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this study is to determine if the use of aromatherapy impacts patient anxiety and pain scores surrounding port access in pediatric oncology patients between the ages of 4 years and 18 years.

Full description

Specific aims include the following:

Aim 1: To compare pre and post port access anxiety scores for both control and intervention groups.

Aim 2: To assess pre and post port pain scores surrounding port access for both control and intervention groups.

Aim 3: To compare pain and anxiety scores between age groups. The overall goal of this pilot study is to identify if aromatherapy, using non-topical, STILL QuickTAB Medipack blended scent aromatherapy, manufactured by Soothing Scents, is effective as a valid non-pharmacologic supplementation in reducing anxiety and pain scores during port access in pediatric oncology patients.

Enrollment: 23 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 4 to 18 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

1. Children between 4 years and 18 years
2. Scheduled for port access with or without lab draw
3. Oncology, neuro-oncology, and stem cell transplant patients

Exclusion criteria

1. has asthma, reactive airway disease, or allergies to any of the ingredients we are using in the aromatherapy study (lavender, bergamot, sweet orange, and ylang ylang)
2. currently uses aromatherapy for port accesses or other painful procedures (does not apply to patients using aromatherapy, such as peppermint oil, for nausea)
3. has a cognitive impairment that prevents them from being able to provide anxiety or pain scores
4. does not wish to participate in the study

Trial design

Primary purpose: Supportive Care

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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23 participants in 2 patient groups

Aromatherapy

Experimental group

Description:

Patients will be given STILL QuickTAB Medipack blended scent aromatherapy in addition to standard supportive measures, which include numbing cream, Child Life support, distraction, caregiver hold, or any combination of these, based on patient preference.

Treatment:

Other: STILL QuickTAB Medipack blended scent aromatherapy, manufactured by Soothing Scents

Control Group

No Intervention group

Description:

Participants will be offered standard supportive measures, which include numbing cream, Child Life support, distraction, caregiver hold, or any combination of these, based on patient preference.