The Effect of Hand Massage on Anxiety and Comfort of Bariatric Surgery Patients: A Randomised Controlled Trial

Firat University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Hand Massage; Anxiety

Treatments: Other: Experimental Group

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT07296679

FiratOU

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study was conducted to determine the effect of hand massage on anxiety and comfort levels in bariatric surgery patients.

Full description

This study was conducted to determine the effect of hand massage on anxiety and comfort levels in bariatric surgery patients. This randomised controlled trial was conducted in the General Surgery Clinic of a University Hospital in eastern Turkey with all adult patients undergoing bariatric surgery between September 2024 - March 2025. The sample consisted of 90 randomised patients who received hand massage and received only routine care. Data were collected using the Patient Information Form, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), General Comfort Scale-Short Form (SGCQ).

Enrollment: 90 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 35 to 53 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Aged 18 or older
• Not having a speech problem or hearing loss
• Not having any condition that would reduce comprehension and understanding abilities
• Agreeing to participate in the study
• Having a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30.

Exclusion criteria

• Having compromised tissue and skin on the forearm or hands (e.g., wounds, eczema, inflammation, phlebitis, arthritis, and rashes)
• Having an intravenous catheter in the back of the hand.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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90 participants in 2 patient groups

Experimental group

Experimental group

Description:

Upon admission to the General Surgery clinic, patients were apprised of the study's objective, and their written and verbal agreement was acquired. Prior to the preoperative hand massage, the Patient Information Form, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and Short Form General Comfort Questionnaire (SGCQ) were administered to the patients in the general surgery clinic's patient room via face-to-face interviews. The patient rooms were single-occupancy, naturally lit, windowed, calm, quiet, and located within the clinic. Immediately before surgery, classic massage techniques including petrissage, friction, and kneading were applied to both hands for 10 minutes using baby oil on the palms, backs of the hands, and fingers. The hand massage was performed while the patient was in bed. The application lasted approximately 25 minutes. After the hand massage, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and General Comfort Scale-Short Form (SGCQ) were administered to the patients as post-test.

Treatment:

Other: Experimental Group

Control group

No Intervention group

Description:

No intervention other than the clinic protocol was applied to this group. In the control group, Patient Information Form, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), General Comfort Scale-Short Form (SGCQ) were administered as pre-test before the operation. Just before the operation, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and General Comfort Scale-Short Form were administered as post-test.