Original Research Article
Assess the effectiveness of autogenic training exercise on stress among cancer patients
1PhD. Scholar, Rani Meyyammai College of Nursing, Annamalai University, Tamil Nadu, India
2Rani Meyyammai College of Nursing, Annamalai University, Tamil Nadu, India
Received: 31 May 2022
Accepted: 20 June 2022
*Correspondence:
Vir Vikram Sahdev Singh,
E-mail: vvssingh82@gmail.com
Copyright: © the author(s), publisher and licensee Medip Academy. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License, which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
ABSTRACT
Background: Autogenic training has shown promise in helping cancer patient to reduce stress. Autogenic training can help to bring greater attention to the present, while avoiding the stress of future and past.
Methods: A quasi-experimental study was conducted in New Heritage hospital Awagarh district Etah, Uttar Pradesh, India. Informed consent was obtained from cancer patients after brief explanation of the study and intervention. In this study one group pre-test-post-test design was adopted. Pre-test was done among 60 cancer patients by using perceived stress scale (PSS). By using convening sampling technique 60 cancer patients were selected for the study.
Results: The results shows that pre-test level of stress was that 13 (22%) stress, and post-test stress level was 26 (43%) of patients had low stress, 21 (35%) had moderate stress and 13 (22%) had high stress. The mean score of pre-test and post-test was 64.6 and 51.4 with SD of 17.56 and 15.34 with respectively.
Conclusions: The findings of study proved that autogenic training was effective in reducing stress of cancer patients.
Keywords: Autogenic training, Stress, Cancer patients
INTRODUCTION
The autogenic training is a relaxation technique which refers self-regulation or self-generation. Our mind can influence body to balance the activity of sympathetic and para sympathetic branches of autonomic nervous system.3 Autogenic training involves six mental exercises which includes heaviness, warmth, breathing, calm heart, stomach and forehead.1 Relaxation techniques boost self-esteem, coping ability, sleep quality and reduce the stress of the individuals.3 Many research studies show positive effects on relaxation techniques. Autogenic training includes measures like progressive muscle relaxation therapy, breathing exercise, yoga and meditation.2 Autogenic training stimulates change in the body functions such as heart rate, blood pressure, blood flow as well as the balance mental functions.6
Problem statement
A study to assess the effectiveness of autogenic training exercise on stress among cancer patients in a selected hospital at district Etah, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Objectives
The objectives of the study were to assess the level of stress among cancer patients, to determine effectiveness of autogenic training exercise on stress among cancer patients and to associated the pre-test level of stress of cancer patients with selected demographic variables.
Hypothesis
Ho-The mean post-test level of the stress score will be significantly lower than the mean pre-test level of stress score at 0.05 level of significance.
Ha-There will be significantly association between pre-test stress score and selected demographic variables such as age, sex.
METHODS
Research approach
A quantitative research approach is selected for the study to assess the level of stress among cancer patients.
Research design
Quasi-experimental one group pre-test post-test design was adopted to evaluate the effect of autogenic training exercise on stress among cancer patient.
Setting of the study
The study was conducted in New Heritage hospital Awagarh district Etah, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Study period
The study was conducted from February 2022 to May 2022.
Variables
Independent: Autogenic training exercise.
Dependent: Cancer patient level of stress.
Population
The target population of the present study was cancer patients which are under treatment at New Heritage hospital Awagarh district Etah, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Sample
In this study sample is cancer patients at New Heritage hospital Awagarh district Etah, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Sample size
The sample size consists of 60 for present study.
Selection criteria of patients
Convenience sampling technique is selected for the present study to select the sample from target population.
Ethical approval
Ethical approval with reference:
NHH/IEC/2022/654/1143 was obtained from the institutional ethical committees. A written informed consents was obtained from each of the study participants after detailed explanation of the study purpose, procedures, and voluntariness of participation.
Data for statistical analysis
Inferential statistics Frequency and percentage distribution, Chi-square test was used to analyse the demographic variables of patients with stress among cancer patients. Mean and standard deviation was used to assess the effectiveness of autogenic training exercise on stress among cancer patients.
RESULTS
This chapter deals with the analysis and interpretation of data obtained from 60 cancer patients.
Findings of the study
The Table 1 denotes the percentage distribution of demographic information. In the age distribution highest 28 (41%) cancer patients belong to >50 years of age group and 05 (8%) lowest belongs to 20-30 years age group. In this study majority 32 (53%) of patient were female. The educational status of patient indicates that majority 10 (17%) were illiterate. The residence of patient indicates that 38 (63%) resided in rural and 22 (37%) patients resided in urban community area. The distribution on monthly income of cancer patients reflects that majority 22 (37%) of their family earn between 10001-15000 Rs. most of participants 50 (83%) were married, and duration of illness of the patient 22 (37%) were less than one year.
Assessment on level of stress among cancer patient
The level of stress of the cancer patient was assessed by PSS. The scale consists of 10 items, and the level of stress was categorized as low stress, moderate stress and high stress.
Table 2 shows the distribution of level of stress before and after autogenic training exercise among cancer patients. Before intervention the level of stress was found that 13 (22%) of patients had low stress, 29 (48%) had moderate stress and 18(30%) had high stress. After intervention 26 (43%) of patients had low stress 21 (35%) had moderate stress and 13 (22%) had high stress. This shows that there was reduction in stress level after autogenic training exercise.
*Significance at 0.05 level
The Table 3 depicted that the mean score of stress of cancer patient before and after intervention was 64.6 and 51.4 with standard deviation of 17.56 and 15.34 respectively. The calculated ‘t’ value, 3.0436 was found to see significant at 0.05 level. Hence the hypothesis ‘the mean post-test level of stress score will be significantly lower than the mean pre-test level of stress score at 0.05 level of significance’ is accepted. It is proved that Autogenic training exercise implemented to cancer patient for reducing level of stress significantly effective.
DISCUSSION
Our study revealed that majority of the cancer patients results shows that pre-test level of stress was that 13 (22%) stress, and post-test stress level was 26 (43%) of patients had low stress, 21 (35%) had moderate stress and 13 (22%) had high stress. The mean score of pre-test and post-test was 64.6 and 51.4 with SD of 17.56 and 15.34 with respectively. Seo et al study showed that autogenic training decreased anxiety and depression and increased the high frequency of heart rate variability.5
Limitations
The pre-test of this study was conducted in one-week, autogenic training exercise was given for 3 months and post-test was done in one week after interventions.
CONCLUSION
The study was conducted to assess the effect of autogenic training exercise on stress among cancer patients. The mean percentage of level of stress has been decreased from 64.6% to 51.4%. This proves that the autogenic training exercise of effective in reducing stress among cancer patients.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Authors would like to thank all the samples, friends and colleagues, without whom we would not have been able to complete this research.
Funding: No funding sources
Conflict of interest: None declared
Ethical approval: The study was approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee
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