Aromatherapy  has been a component of Eastern medicine for centuries, with specific  aromas demonstrating stimulating or stress and/or anxiety alleviating  properties. In spite of this, the entire practice of aromatherapy has  often been overlooked by much of the Western medicinal world. However,  nurses are in a prime position to implement this procedure in their  practice to reduce their patients anxiety levels. The focus of this  paper was to analyze Itai et al.’s (2000) study on the psychological  effects of aromatherapy on chronic hemodialysis patients for research  utilization potential. The purpose of a group research utilization  project is to emphasize the effectiveness of aromatherapy in decreasing  patient’s anxiety levels.

Analysis

The research problem in Itai et al.’s (2000) study was the need for  more information regarding the antidepressant and antianxiety effects  of aromatherapy in chronic hemodialysis patients. "The purpose of this  study was to investigate the psychological effects of aromatherapy on  depression and anxiety in chronic hemodialysis inpatients, and to  determine whether or not aromatherapy can be utilized in clinical  settings" (p. 393). No hypotheses were clearly identified, which was a  limitation to the study. The literature review focused on the  effectiveness of aromatherapy as a procedure demonstrating  antidepressant and anxiolytic effects. The research framework of this  study was not explicitiy stated. However, the researchers did inform  the prospective participants of the study purpose and obtained informed  consent. They also gained approval for the study from the Hirosaki  University Hospital’s Ethics Committee. Ethics provided strength to the  study. The sample for this quasi-experimental study was not randomly  selected. The convenience sample consisted of fourteen depressed,  female patients with chronic renal failure, who were hospitalized for  hemodialysis; their ages ranged from forty to eighty years old. All had  been undergoing hemodialysis prior to August 1997, and met inclusion  criteria for depression based on their minimum scores of 7 on the  Hamilton rating scale for depression (HAMD). Statistical power was not  stated. The fourteen participants were arranged into six groups and  served as their own controls. The odors in their rooms were changed at  one week intervals from control conditions (natural hospital smell) to  odorless conditions, to scents of lavender or hiba oil. Their  psychological status was assessed weekly, at the same time each day on  the day following dialysis, by trained professionals (three  psychiatrists, one clinical psychologist, and two nurses), using the  Hamilton rating scale for anxiety (HAMA) and HAMD for data collection.  Reliability and validity were not explicitly mentioned for the HAMA or  HAMD. Data were analyzed using MANOVA (multiple variate analysis for  variance) and Tukey’s test. Findings from the study indicated that  aromatherapy was beneficial; hiba oil exhibited stimulating,  antidepressant, and anxiolytic effects, while lavender demonstrated  sedating, anxiolytic effects.

Summary

Results from Itai et al.’s (2000) study support a group utilization  project to educate nurses regarding aromatherapy, so that nurses can  implement it in their practice to reduce their patient’s anxiety  levels. A major feasibility issue would be the price tag; one must  consider both the cost of paying for the training that the nurses would  need and the materials needed to implement the practice or  aromatherapy. Future research would be very valuable, especially if it  replicated this study using a larger, more diverse sample of patients.

References

Itai, T., Amayasu, H., Kuribayashi, M., Kawamura, N., Okada, M.,  Momose, A., et al. (2000). Psychological effects of aromatherapy on  chronic hemodialysis patients. Psychiatric and Clinical Neurosciences,  54, 393-397.

Kayla Bishop, EKU BSN Student

Department of Baccalaureate and Graduate Nursing

Eastern Kentucky University

Richmond, KY

Copyright Kentucky Nurses Association Jul-Sep 2005

Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved

Bishop, Kayla