Abstract

Purpose: This study aims to determine the effectiveness of lavender aromatherapy on (a) level of pain (b) blood pressure and (c) relationship between pain and blood pressure among post-partum women.

Methods: The study utilized a longitudinal quasi-experimental non-equivalent pretest-posttest design. Subjects were chosen through purposive sampling (n=20) that passed the inclusion criteria (a) 18-35 years old, (b) first 24-hour postpartum, (c) experiencing post-partum pain, (d) have not yet taken pain medication, and (e) willing to participate. Researchers used numeric pain scale to assess pain level with blood pressure assessment as an adjunct to measure pain objectively. Lavender aromatherapy was administered by putting 2 drops of pure (100%) lavender oil to handkerchief (2x2 inches) and was placed on the clothes of the subject above left collarbone.

Results: Data revealed that pain decreases however, difference in the p-value (0.16) was greater than 0.05 (significant level) thus shows no significance. Systolic blood pressure yielded a decrease of 70mmHg showing significant difference since the p-value (0.0095) was lower than 0.05. However, no difference was noted in the diastolic blood pressure (p-value of 1.0 - 0.05). Results also shows a high correlation of pain and systolic blood pressure since the computed t value (3.771) was greater than the tabular value of 2.31 at 0.05 significant level.

Conclusion: Lavender aromatherapy appears to be effective in decreasing level of pain among postpartum women. However larger sample is highly recommended and numeric pain assessment scale must be enhanced to accurately measure subjective pain to confirm its efficacy.

Author Details

Tan, Renante Dante G., RN, MAN; Miranda, Arvie Desiree I., BSN; Quero, Erika Gabrielle A., BSN; Rodriguez, Jomar M., BSN; Morales, Ariane Lei D., BSN; Remo, Abigail R., BSN; Rufino, Arianne C., BSN; Ortiz, Pamela Mae K. , BSN; Reyes, Kevin John V., BSN; Royo, Jenneiah D., BSN; Natata, Precious Anne N., BSN; Marco, Emily R., BSN; Marquez, Hazelyne A. , BSN

Sigma Membership

Non-member

Type

Presentation

Format Type

Text-based Document

Study Design/Type

N/A

Research Approach

N/A

Keywords:

Postpartum Pain, Lavender Aromatherapy, Blood Pressure

Conference Name

23rd International Nursing Research Congress

Conference Host

Sigma Theta Tau International

Conference Location

Brisbane, Australia

Conference Year

2012

Rights Holder

All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record.

All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository.

All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.

Acquisition

Proxy-submission

Share

COinS
 

Efficacy of lavender aromatherapy to level of pain and blood pressure among post-partum women: A pilot study

Brisbane, Australia

Purpose: This study aims to determine the effectiveness of lavender aromatherapy on (a) level of pain (b) blood pressure and (c) relationship between pain and blood pressure among post-partum women.

Methods: The study utilized a longitudinal quasi-experimental non-equivalent pretest-posttest design. Subjects were chosen through purposive sampling (n=20) that passed the inclusion criteria (a) 18-35 years old, (b) first 24-hour postpartum, (c) experiencing post-partum pain, (d) have not yet taken pain medication, and (e) willing to participate. Researchers used numeric pain scale to assess pain level with blood pressure assessment as an adjunct to measure pain objectively. Lavender aromatherapy was administered by putting 2 drops of pure (100%) lavender oil to handkerchief (2x2 inches) and was placed on the clothes of the subject above left collarbone.

Results: Data revealed that pain decreases however, difference in the p-value (0.16) was greater than 0.05 (significant level) thus shows no significance. Systolic blood pressure yielded a decrease of 70mmHg showing significant difference since the p-value (0.0095) was lower than 0.05. However, no difference was noted in the diastolic blood pressure (p-value of 1.0 - 0.05). Results also shows a high correlation of pain and systolic blood pressure since the computed t value (3.771) was greater than the tabular value of 2.31 at 0.05 significant level.

Conclusion: Lavender aromatherapy appears to be effective in decreasing level of pain among postpartum women. However larger sample is highly recommended and numeric pain assessment scale must be enhanced to accurately measure subjective pain to confirm its efficacy.