Investigation of the Effect of Abdominal Massage Applied to Palliative Care Patients on Constipation and Quality of Life

The problem of constipation plays a very important role among these symptoms that patients experience intensely and negatively affect their quality of life. Although constipation is not a disease, it is a condition that causes discomfort to the person and may develop due to idiopathic reasons, as well as depending on diet, exercise habits, medications used and various disease processes. It may also occur. Constipation is one of the most common symptoms in patients treated in palliative care, and its prevalence is thought to be approximately 30-90%. Constipation is the third most common problem in palliative care, after pain and loss of appetite. Although drug therapy is the first method that comes to mind in the treatment of constipation, as it is known, medical treatment has many side effects risks and long-term drug use causes health problems. It creates a high financial burden on the care system. The high side effects and costs of laxative drugs used in the management of constipation necessitate the use of non-pharmacological methods. Non-pharmacological methods used in the management of constipation generally include regular exercise, fluid intake, and increased consumption of fiber foods. One of them is the abdominal massage method. The number of studies on the effects of abdominal massage in the Palliative Care patient group, who frequently experience constipation, is very limited in the literature. For these reasons, the study was planned to examine the effect of abdominal massage applied to palliative care patients on constipation and quality of life.Abdominal massage applied to palliative care patients It was planned in two stages to determine its effect on constipation and quality of life. The first phase of the study was descriptive and cross-sectional, and the second phase was planned as a randomized experimental study with a pretest-post test control group design.

In the first phase of the research, answers to the following questions will be sought.

What is the severity of constipation in palliative care patients?

-Performing daily living activities of palliative care patients How is the dependency independence situation?

Hypotheses of the Research:

H1: The application of abdominal massage to palliative care patients has an effect on constipation.

H1: The application of abdominal massage to palliative care patients has a positive effect on the quality of life.

The independent variable of the study was abdominal massage application, and the dependent variables were constipation and quality of life levels of palliative care patients.

Inclusion criteria

• Inclusion criteria for the first phase of the study;
• A first-degree relative or volunteer to participate in the research approved to participate in the research by
• 18 years and over,
• Patients receiving inpatient treatment and care in the palliative care service. Inclusion criteria for the second phase of the study;
• A first-degree relative or volunteer to participate in the research approved to participate in the research by
• Having at least 2 or more of the Rome III constipation diagnostic criteria,
• Constipation Severity Scale score is 25 and above,
• No intestinal obstruction
• No radiotherapy or surgery was applied to the abdominal region until six weeks ago,
• Does not have diarrhea,
• Patients who do not have abdominal massage application restrictions.

Exclusion criteria

• Exclusion criteria for the first phase of the study;
• Those who do not volunteer to participate in the research or who are not approved to participate in the research by their first-degree relatives,
• under the age of 18,
• Patients who do not receive inpatient treatment and care in the palliative care service.

Exclusion criteria

for the second phase of the study;

• Those who do not volunteer to participate in the research or who are not approved to participate in the research by their first-degree relatives,
• Below 2 of the Rome III constipation diagnostic criteria
• Constipation Severity Scale score below 25 points
• Intestinal obstruction
• Radiotherapy or surgery was applied to the abdominal region up to six weeks ago,
• Having diarrhea
• Patients with abdominal massage application restrictions will be formed.