The Effects of Slow-Stroke Back Massage on Anxiety in Elderly

Anxiety in the recent modern world, especially in elderly who have low power of adaptation, it can produce serious health problems for elder people. So this study was conducted in order to investigate and determine the effects of Slow Stroke Back Massage (SSBM) on anxiety in elderly clients. This study is a quasi-experimental research that was carried out in Kahrizak charity foundation for elderly, in 2007. For this study 102 elderly clients were allocated to two groups of experimental and control with randomize permuted block. Data were gathered by client demographic characteristics and Spielberger State anxiety inventory. The patients in experimental group have received five minutes of SSBM for five consecutive days during 3-7 the afternoon. State anxiety was measured in both groups before and after intervention. Data were analyzed by use of Chi-esquare, independent T test, Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, Mann Whitney test and pair T test. Results did not show significant difference between groups in average of state anxiety levels before execution of SSBM (P>0.05), but were observed significant difference between two groups after intervenion (P<0.05). According to the result, SSBM was effective to decrease state anxiety levels of elderly clients, therefore it can be used in current and complementary treatment of anxiety.