Efficacy of relaxation techniques in the reduction of tension, anxiety and stress perceived by patients with cancer under chemotherapy treatment
Flor Esmeralda Larios-Jiménez 1, Leivy P. González-Ramírez 2, Roberto Montes-Delgado 3, Fabiola González-Betanzos 4, Andrés Morán-Mendoza 5, Pedro Solano-Murillo 6, Antonio Oceguera-Villanueva 7, Mónica Montero-Ramírez 8, Adrián Daneri-Navarro 9
1 Alumna del Doctorado Interinstitucional en Psicología, Campus Colima, Universidad de Colima, Colima y Departamento de Disciplinas Filosóficas, Metodológicas e Instrumentales, Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, México; 2 Health Sciences Division, Centro Universitario de Tonala, Universidad de Guadalajara, Tonala, Jalisco, Mexico; 3 Facultad de Psicología, Universidad de Colima, Colima, México; 4 Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Morelia, México; 5 Centro Médico de Occidente, IMSS, Guadalajara, Jal., México; 6 UMAE Hospital de Especialidades, CMNO, IMSS, México; 7 Genetics Service, Instituto Jalisciense de Cancerología, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico; 8 Instituto Jalisciense de Cancerología; 9 Physiology Department, Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
Flor Esmeralda Larios-Jiménez, Leivy P. González-Ramírez, Roberto Montes-Delgado, Fabiola González-Betanzos, Andrés Morán-Mendoza, Pedro Solano-Murillo, Antonio Oceguera-Villanueva, Mónica Montero-Ramírez, Adrián Daneri-Navarro
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*Correspondencia: Adrián Daneri-Navarro, Email no disponible
Resumen
Introduction: Cancer constitutes a public health problem worldwide. Attention to patients with cancer includes treatments such as chemotherapy, which may generate emotional negative reactions. Relaxation techniques have shown to reduce anxiety and stress in this population. Materials and Methods: 552 patients of the chemotherapy areas of three hospitals of Metropolitan Guadalajara zone were trained in diaphragmatic breathing and guided imagery. Patients were assessed with an visual analogue scale, which scored their tension, anxiety or perceived stress before and after relaxation training. Results: The mean obtained by the visual analogue scale was 3.24 (SD: 2.8) before and 1.2 (SD: 1.9) after relaxation training respectively (p < 0.001). Moreover, differences in means among patients in different hospitals (p < 0.001) were observed. Conclusions: Our results highlight the effectiveness of relaxation techniques implemented in patients receiving chemotherapy, reducing perceived stress, anxiety and tension. Health professionals can train patients on the use of relaxation techniques
during their hospital visits. The generalized practice of these techniques by the patients will improve their state of wellbeing, by reducing the emotional affections caused by cancer diagnosis and the treatments.
