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Go and Park: Effects of Aroma Inhalation Therapy on Stress, Anxiety, Depression, and the Autonomic Nervous System in High-risk Pregnant Women
Original Article

Korean J Women Health Nurs 2017;23(1):33-41.

Published online: 17 March 2017

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4069/kjwhn.2017.23.1.33

Effects of Aroma Inhalation Therapy on Stress, Anxiety, Depression, and the Autonomic Nervous System in High-risk Pregnant Women

Gee Youn Go, Hyojung Park

College of Nursing, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea

Corresponding author: Park, Hyojung College of Nursing, Ewha Womans University, 52 Ewhayeodae-gil, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 03760, Korea. Tel: +82-2-3277-2824, Fax: +82-2-3277-2850, E-mail: hyojungp@ewha.ac.kr

Received 13 October 201616 December 2016       Accepted 4 January 2017

Copyright © 2017 Korean Society of Women Health Nursing

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of aroma inhalation therapy on stress, anxiety, depression, and an autonomic nervous system reaction in high-risk hospitalized pregnant women.

Methods

A quasi-experimental study used a non-equivalent control group non-synchronized design. Fifty high-risk hospitalized pregnant women were selected as participants on delivery room and maternity ward at university hospital. Twenty-five were selected for the experimental group while 25 were assigned to a control group. Neroli essential oil was used for aroma therapy and was already identified as not being hazard to pregnant women. It provided emotional stability from previous study. The participants inhaled Neroli 2 minutes, 3 times (9 am to 10 am, 4 pm to 5 pm, just before sleep) a day. A total of 15 sessions were held from the day of the preliminary investigation. Pre and post written survey and measuring an autonomic nervous system reaction were collected from both groups.

Results

The data were analyzed by x2 test, t-test, and paired t-test. There was a statistically significant difference in stress (t=-3.98, p<.001) between the experimental group and the control group.

Conclusion

These findings indicate that aroma inhalation therapy is effective as a nursing intervention for the stress relief of hospitalized high-risk pregnant women.

Keywords: Aroma inhalation, Stress, Autonomic nervous system, High-risk pregnant women

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Table 1.
Homogeneity Test of General Characteristics between Experimental and Control Group (N=50)
Characteristics Categories Exp. (n=25) Cont. (n=25) x2 or t p
n (%) or M±SD n (%) or M±SD
Age (yr) 　 33.6±4.1 34.3±3.2 12.09 .599
Education level ≤High school 5 (20.0) 2 (8.0) 1.50 .417
≥College 20 (80.0) 23 (92.0)    
Length of marriage (yr) 　 4.17±3.46 3.82±2.77 40.13 .292
Gestational age (week)   27.54±6.56 28.94±3.52 15.30 .358
Parity No 17 (68.0) 17 (68.0) 0.00 1.000
Yes 8 (32.0) 8 (32.0)    
Religion No 10 (40.0) 13 (52.0) 0.73 .571
Yes 15 (60.0) 12 (48.0)    
Occupation No 13 (52.0) 14 (56.0) 0.08 .777
Yes 12 (48.0) 11 (44.0)    
Employment duration (yr)   3.91±4.75 2.66±3.53 15.57 .411
Monthly income (10,000 won) ≤299 8 (32.0) 6 (24.0) 0.82 .664
300~399 8 (32.0) 11 (44.0)    
≥400 9 (36.0) 8 (32.0)    

Exp.=experimental group; Cont.=control group.

Table 2.
Homogeneity Test of Dependent Variables between Experimental and Control Group (N=50)
Variables Exp. (n=25) Cont. (n=25) t p
M±SD M±SD
Stress 66.56±10.93 64.44±13.25 0.62 .540
Anxiety 44.56±10.83 44.08±8.84 0.17 .864
Depression 13.00±7.21 11.80±5.56 0.66 .513
SDNN 25.08±12.62 24.29±9.60 0.25 .804
LF Norm 61.98±17.69 61.92±19.43 0.01 .992
HF Norm 38.02±17.69 38.28±18.84 -0.05 .960
LF/HF 2.66±2.00 3.13±3.77 -0.56 .579

Exp.=experimental group; Cont.=control group; SDNN=standard deviation normal to normal interval; LF Norm=normalized low frequency; HF Norm=normalized high frequency; LF/HF=low frequency/high frequency.

Table 3.
Differences in Outcome Variables between Experimental and Control Group (N=50)
Characteristics Groups Pretest Posttest t(p) Difference score t(p)
M±SD M±SD M±SD
Stress Exp. (n=25) 66.56±10.93 60.48±10.65 -5.10 (＜.001) ) -6.08±5.96 -3.98(＜.001)
Cont. (n=25) 64.44±13.25 64.88±12.44 0.39 (.699) 0.44±5.63  
Anxiety Exp. (n=25) 44.56±10.83 41.64±8.75 -2.62 (.015) -2.92±5.57 -1.78(.081)
Cont. (n=25) 44.08±8.84 44.68±7.79 0.37 (.716) 0.60±8.15  
Depression Exp. (n=25) 13.00±7.21 11.40±6.97 -1.96 (.062) -1.60±4.09 -1.07(.292)
Cont. (n=25) 11.80±5.56 11.60±4.90 -0.20 (.847) -0.20±5.14  
SDNN Exp. (n=25) 25.08±12.62 32.89±16.43 2.14 (.042) 7.81±18.22 1.61(.113)
Cont. (n=25) 24.29±9.60 25.41±7.85 0.57 (.571) 1.13±9.82  
LF Norm Exp. (n=25) 61.98±17.69 68.29±16.78 1.86 (.076) 6.32±17.00 -0.07(.947)
Cont. (n=25) 61.92±19.43 68.62±18.30 1.43 (.165) 6.70±23.38  
HF Norm Exp. (n=25) 38.02±17.69 31.71±16.78 -1.86 (.076) -6.32±17.00 0.11(.917)
Cont. (n=25) 38.28±18.84 31.38±18.30 -1.54 (.137) -6.91±22.43  
LF/HF Exp. (n=25) 2.66±2.00 4.47±5.97 1.74 (.095) 1.81±5.22 0.77(.448)
Cont. (n=25) 3.13±3.77 3.79±3.69 0.59 (.558) 0.65±5.49  

Exp.=experimental group; Cont.=control group; SDNN=standard deviation normal to normal interval; LF Norm=normalized low frequency; HF Norm=normalized high frequency; LF/HF=low frequency/high frequency.

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