Analysis of Studies on Hand Massage Published in Korea: On the Effects of Sleep, Pain, Anxiety and Depression

Kim, Inja; Cho, Yuna

Abstract

PURPOSE
To identify the feasibility and provide the direction for future studies regarding hand massage, studies on hand massage published in Korea were analyzed.
METHODS
Using the key word of hand massage, 23 studies which identified the effects on sleep, pain, anxiety and depression were found. They were analyzed on research tendency and effects. Research tendency was analyzed in terms of published year, methods, study design, sample characteristics, and outcome variables. Effects were analyzed with hypothesis testing and effect size.
RESULTS
Among 23 studies, 60%(14 studies) were about hand massage and others (9 studies) were about aroma hand massage. The most prominent outcome variables were physiological and cognitive/emotional ones. To improve sleep, hand massage over 60 minutes was necessary while pain and anxiety were improved in the studies which less than 10 minutes hand massage was applied. Aroma hand massage was more effective than hand massage. Effect size for anxiety and depression was larger than those of sleep and pain.
CONCLUSION
Hand massage and aroma hand massage are recommended to improve anxiety and depression as an independent nursing intervention. More randomized clinical trials are necessary to increase the validity and identify the effects of hand massage on sleep, pain, anxiety and depression.