Korean J Adult Nurs.  2021 Oct;33(5):472-483. 10.7475/kjan.2021.33.5.472.

Effects of Foot Bath Therapy on Peripheral Neuropathy, Sleep Disorder, and Fatigue in Gynecologic Patients with Cancer Undergoing Chemotherapy

• Kim HA
• Lim KH

• KMID: 2521806
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.7475/kjan.2021.33.5.472

Abstract

Purpose
This study was conducted to verify the effects of foot bathing on peripheral neuropathy, sleep disorder, and fatigue in gynecologic patients with cancer undergoing chemotherapy. Methods: There were 30 participants in this study who had been diagnosed with gynecologic cancer and were undergoing chemotherapy. Among them, 15 were in the experimental group of the K university hospital and 15 in the control group of the other K university hospital in D city. The experimental group received foot bathing once a day for 30 minutes over 10 days, an hour before bedtime, while the control group did not receive any foot bathing. Results: The results of the study showed that the experimental group that received foot bathing had significant changes in objective peripheral neuropathy (p=.021), sleep disorder (p=.002), and fatigue (p=.030), as compared to the control group. However, no significant difference was found between the experimental and the control groups regarding subjective peripheral neuropathy (p=.256). Conclusion: Hence, our study confirmed that foot bathing can be an effective nursing intervention to reduce peripheral neuropathy, sleep disorder, and fatigue in gynecologic patients with cancer undergoing chemotherapy.

Keyword

Foot; Baths; Peripheral nervous system diseases; Sleep disorders; Fatigue