The Efficacy of Reflexology as a Palliative Treatment in Nursing Home Residents
Principal Investigator: Nancy Hodgson Abstract: This study was the first of its kind to explore biobehavioral responses of nursing home residents to complementary therapies using a randomized experimental design. Twenty residents were randomly assigned to receive the reflexology intervention or a controlled condition of a therapeutic visit. Outcomes were measured using standardized indexes for pain and depression by a trained data collector blind to subject group assignment. Physiologic stress were assessed using blood pressure, heart rate, and salivary measures of cortisol and alpha amylasel. Early results indicate a significant effect of the reflexology treatment on symptoms of depression and physiologic measures of distress. |
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