Abstract
Purpose: This study aims to prove whether aromatherapy can really make a difference in nurses' stress levels by employing a systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods: Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions was followed as the guideline for our research. Two authors screened published articles before July 2021 from eight electronic databases, including Taiwan Periodical Literature System, Airiti Library, Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, Cochrane Library, PBSC and CINAHL. The following keywords and MesH terms were applied to search for articles regarding nurses, aromatherapy, and work stress. Level of evidence was assessed using Joanna Briggs Institute, and quality was assessed by Risk of bias 2.0 tool (Rob 2.0 tool). Comprehensive Meta-Analysis Software (CMA) was utilized as the tool for meta-analysis. Results: The researchers found 403 relevant articles, and 5 randomized controlled trial articles were selected for analysis. Four articles were assessed as high risk, and the other with some concerns. Overall, aromatherapy was found to be significantly effective for nurses' work stress (p=.026). The subgroup analysis showed that direct inhalation of essential oils was significant for decreasing nurses' work stress (p= .022), but massage was not (p=0.623). Conclusion: Aromatherapy had a positive impact on decreasing nurses' stress levels. Nevertheless, more high-quality research should be conducted to strength the evidence.
| Translated title of the contribution | Effectiveness of aromatherapy for decreasing work stress among nurses: A systematic review and meta-analysis |
|---|---|
| Original language | Chinese (Traditional) |
| Pages (from-to) | 30-42 |
| Journal | 自然療法暨健康促進期刊 = Journal of Natural Therapy and Health Promotion |
| Volume | 1 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| Publication status | Published - 2022 Nov 1 |