Physiological and psychological evaluation of the wrapped warm footbath as a complementary nursing therapy to induce relaxation in hospitalized @entity1 with incurable XXXX : a pilot study.

@entity1 @entity701 @entity5 @entity158
BACKGROUND: The wrapped warm footbath (WW-footbath) was originally designed as a means to promote relaxation, positive emotion, comfort, pleasure, and enjoyment in hospitalized @entity1 with incurable @entity5 during palliative care. OBJECTIVES: This study examined the physiological and psychological effects of the WW-footbath as complementary nursing intervention to induce relaxation in hospitalized @entity1 with incurable @entity5 . METHODS: Eighteen subjects were divided into a footbath group (n=9) and a control group (n=9). Heart rate variability analysis (per second) with wavelet transformation was used for evaluation of autonomic, sympathetic, and parasympathetic activities. Salivary secretory immunoglobulin A and salivary @entity701 levels were used as neuroimmunological parameters. @entity158 and psychological conditions were measured using a visual analog scale and Face Scale (FS). RESULTS: The high-frequency component of heart rate variability was not significantly increased in either group. However, the low-frequency component versus high-frequency ratio was significantly decreased in the footbath group at periods after footbath (P=.017, P=.000, P=.000, P=.003). In the footbath group, the salivary secretory immunoglobulin A level was significantly increased (P=.019), and the @entity701 level tended to be reduced. Changes in visual analog scale and FS scores showed that the footbath group experienced significant @entity158 relief and relaxation ( @entity158 , P=.047; relaxation, P=.042; comfortability, P=.008; FS, P=.013). CONCLUSIONS: The WW-footbath significantly decreased sympathetic activity in hospitalized @entity1 with incurable @entity5 and may have secondary benefit for @entity158 relief. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The WW-footbath can promote relaxation in hospitalized @entity1 with incurable @entity5 . Moreover, the WW-footbath appears to afford @entity158 relief associated with enhanced overall comfort.
