Banca de QUALIFICAÇÃO: YENIFER LIZETH GAÑAN ROJAS

Uma banca de QUALIFICAÇÃO de DOUTORADO foi cadastrada pelo programa.
STUDENT : YENIFER LIZETH GAÑAN ROJAS
DATE: 12/03/2026
TIME: 14:00
LOCAL: Departamento de enfermagem (PGENF)
TITLE:

EFFECT OF HAND REFLEXOLOGY ON PAIN AND ANXIETY IN PATIENTS WITH ADVANCED CANCER: A RANDOMIZED CLINICAL TRIAL.

KEY WORDS:

Elderly, reflexology, musculoskeletal manipulations, complementary therapies, health services, nursing

 

PAGES: 29
BIG AREA: Ciências da Saúde
AREA: Enfermagem
SUMMARY:

Cancer is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. According to
the World Health Organization, it is characterized by genetic mutations that trigger
abnormal cell growth with the ability to invade tissues and organs. Despite therapeutic
advances, many cases progress to metastatic cancer (stage IV), the most lethal form of
the disease, which is associated with a high symptom burden, particularly pain and
anxiety, significantly compromising quality of life. In this context, Traditional,
Complementary and Integrative Medicine, recognized by the World Health Organization
and, in Brazil, by the National Policy on Integrative and Complementary Practices, has
emerged as a complementary strategy to conventional treatment. Reflexology,
recognized by the Federal Nursing Council (COFEN), has shown evidence of benefits in
symptom reduction; however, research gaps remain in patients with advanced cancer.
The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of hand reflexology on pain
and anxiety in patients with advanced cancer. The specific objectives are to assess pain
and anxiety levels before and after each intervention, as well as hemodynamic and
sociodemographic variables. This is a randomized controlled clinical trial with a
probabilistic sample of 86 participants (43 per group), recruited at Hospital Universitário
Onofre Lopes. Eligible participants will be adults aged 18 years or older, diagnosed with
stage IV cancer, hospitalized in the Oncology Unit, and presenting a pain score ≥ 1 on
the Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Patients with contraindications to the technique will be
excluded. All participants will sign an informed consent form and will be randomly
allocated to either the intervention or control group. The intervention group will receive
twenty 20-minute hand reflexology sessions every 48 hours in addition to usual care,
while the control group will receive standard institutional care only. Data collection will
include the application of the VAS and the Beck Anxiety Inventory before and after each
session, and results will be analyzed comparatively.

 

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