A Quasi Experimental Study to Evaluate the Effectiveness of Progressive Muscle Relaxation on Anxiety and Depression among Hospitalised Cancer Patients receiving Radiotherapy

Background: Cancer is the disease with continuous progressive rise all over the globe. Diagnosis of cancer or even its treatment arouses a number of psychological reactions among patients. Among all problems, anxiety and depression are most commonly seen psychological problems in cancer patients. Though the occurrence of psychological problems in cancer patients is as high as physiological problems, but they don’t get due attention.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of Progressive muscle relaxation on anxiety and depression among hospitalised cancer patients receiving radiotherapy.

Methods: The study design was quasi experimental pre-test post-test control group design. Total of 100 participants, 50 in each intervention and control group were included. Anxiety and depression was assessed using State and trait anxiety inventory and Beck depression inventory respectively at baseline and after 4 weeks. The subjects in Intervention group received training & four sessions of PMR within 4 weeks while subjects in control group received treatment as usual.

Results: There was significant decrease in Pre to Post-assessment mean depression scores (p<0.05) of study participants in intervention group, while significant increase (p<0.01) in mean anxiety and depression scores of study participants in control group.

Conclusion: Progressive muscle relaxation was found effective to significantly reduce depression in hospitalised cancer patients receiving radiotherapy. Present study, reveal the implication and importance of PMR to reduce depression among hospitalised cancer patients and also improve their quality of life. So the inclusion of Progressive muscle relaxation in the routine practise by nurses will greatly help to enhance quality of life.