Comparing the Effect of Massage Aromatherapy and Massage on Anxiety Level Of the Patients in the Preoperative Period: A clinical trial

Background: Delay in healing- and increasing use of narcotics and anesthetics are some of the accompanying problems with anxiety before the surgery. Massage Aromatherapy and massage are two of the complementary medicine components to decrease anxiety. Aim: to compare the effects of massage aromatherapy and massage on anxiety level of the patients in the preoperative period. Methods: In this clinical trial, 72 candidates for heart and abdominal surgery who admitted in Ahvaz hospitals in 2008 were randomly allocated into two massage aromatherapy and massagegroups. The Spielberger scale was used to measure the anxiety level. Massage aromatherapy group received twenty minutes of stroking backrub with mix of lavandula and almond oils. Massage group received the backrub only with almond oil . The collected data were analyzed by independent t-testusing SPSS version 13 considering PResults: The average of anxiety level in massage aromatherapy group decreased from 52.89 +9.20to 35.78+9.26 and in the massage from 50.58+9.47 to 39.25+10.42 before to after the intervention. The results of paired t-test showed significant statistical difference between pre and post intervention in each group (p<0/001).The results of independent t-test showed no significant statistical difference between the two groups after the intervention. Conclusion: The findings showed that massage aromatherapy and massage were equal effecting on reduction of anxiety level and they are proposed for reduction of anxiety in preoperative period as a significant clinical intervention.