Effect of Slow Strock Back Massage on the Quality of Life in the Patients with Acute Leukemia: A Randomized Clinical Trial

The aim of treatment of hematologic malignancies is to relieve symptoms, increase survival and improve the ability of the patient and quality of life. In the recent years, it was taken consideration the use of complementary medicines for improving patients QoL. Massage therapy is one of these complementary medicine methods which usually will be accepted by patients. However, very few studies have been conducted on the effects of massage therapy on the leukemia patients. Therefore, this study was aimed to evaluate the effect of back massage on the quality of life in the patients with acute leukemia undergoing chemotherapy.
In this randomized controlled trial in Shafa hospital (2013-2014), 60 patients with acute leukemia chooses on the basis of inclusion criteria, and then were placed in the intervention and control groups with random assignment (30 patients in each group). Sampling performed during 6 months. After obtained informed consent, the intervention group received Slow Stroke Back Massage (SSBM) three times a week (every other day for ten minutes) for 4 weeks. The quality of life dimensions was measured using the SF-36 form. Statistical tests of independed t-test, and chi-square were used for data analysis.
Results showed that before intervention, it was not observed a significant difference between two groups in the means of quality of life dimensions (P=0.969), Whereas, after intervention, it was a significant increase in means of quality of life dimensions in the intervention group compared to the control group (P=0.001). After intervention in the intervention group, it was a significant increase in means of quality of life dimensions except social functioning and vitality dimensions.
Slow Stroke Back Massage, as a simple and safe approach can be useful to improve quality of life which main target of care of patient with hematological malignant. Therefore, it is recommended that the use of massages therapy in patients with leukemia should be included in training and caring programs of clinical nurses and students.