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The Effect of Therapeutic Touch on the Comfort and Anxiety of Nursing Home Residents

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Abstract

Nurses are increasingly using energy therapies such as therapeutic touch (TT) in many countries. This research aimed at finding out the effects of TT on comfort and anxiety of nursing home residents. This research is a quasi-experimental randomized control study which was conducted to investigate the impact of TT on the comfort and anxiety of older people living in a nursing home in İzmir, Turkey, between August 2015 and 2016. The sample of the study was formed from 60 older people who fitted the selection criteria, 30 in the experimental group and 30 in the control group. Data were collected using a General Comfort Questionnaire (GCQ) and a Situational Anxiety Inventory (STAI). A statistically significant difference was found between the measurements of the TT and control groups. According to the results, TT reduces anxiety and increases the comfort level of older people (p < 0.05). Considering the positive results of TT on comfort levels and anxiety, it can be recommended as an independent nursing practice.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful for assistance received from Nursing Home. We thank all participants for their willingness to participate.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dokuz Eylul University, Nursing Faculty, Balcova, İzmir, Turkey

    Fethiye Yelkin Alp

  2. Ege University, Nursing Faculty, Bornova, İzmir, Turkey

    Sebnem Cinar Yucel

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  1. Fethiye Yelkin Alp
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  2. Sebnem Cinar Yucel
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Contributions

Study design: All authors; Data management and analysis: FYA. Drafting and preparing the manuscript for publication: FYA and SCY. All authors approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Fethiye Yelkin Alp.

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Ethical Statement

The ethics committee approved the study, and written consent was obtained from the nursing home administration (İzmir, Turkey; Approval Number: 773-2105). Informed consent was obtained from all participants before they were included in the study. Participation in the study was voluntary and elders could withdraw from the study at any time.

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Alp, F.Y., Yucel, S.C. The Effect of Therapeutic Touch on the Comfort and Anxiety of Nursing Home Residents. J Relig Health 60, 2037–2050 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-020-01025-4

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