Revista Brasileira de Enfermagem (Oct 2023)

Effect of guided imagery relaxation on anxiety in cervical cancer: randomized clinical trial

  • Edenice de Oliveira Santana,
  • Leonel dos Santos Silva,
  • Luana Aparecida Alves da Silva,
  • João Lucas de Aquino Lemos,
  • Larissa Marcondes,
  • Paulo Ricardo Bittencourt Guimarães,
  • Luciana Puchalski Kalinke

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1590/0034-7167-2021-0874
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 76, no. 5

Abstract

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ABSTRACT Objectives: to evaluate the effect of guided imagery relaxation through virtual reality on anxiety in women with cervical cancer undergoing radiochemotherapy. Methods: randomized, non-blinded, single-center clinical trial conducted at a cancer reference hospital. 52 women participated, with randomized allocation of 24 in the control group and 28 in the experimental group (12 sessions of guided imagery relaxation through virtual reality, applied three times a week). The outcome was evaluated using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and statistical analysis was performed using the Generalized Linear Mixed Model. Results: n the experimental group, women presented significant anxiety traits (p=0.010) before the intervention. Between the 4th and 12th week of follow-up, there was a reduction in anxiety levels, without statistical significance. Conclusions: guided imagery relaxation through virtual reality provided evidence of anxiety reduction in women with cervical cancer undergoing radiochemotherapy and may contribute to clinical practice. Brazilian Clinical Trial Registry: RBR-7ssvytb.

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