The Effects of Complementary Therapies Delivered via Mobile Technologies on Surgical Patients’ Reports of Anxiety, Pain, and Self-Efficacy in Healing: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial
Margaret M. Hansen,
Fulbright Scholar, University of Iceland School of Nursing and Midwifery
Whilst the use of mobile technologies for health promotion is prevalent today and perceived to be an effective way to deliver patient care and education there is limited concrete empirical evidence whether and how mobile devices significantly improves patient health outcomes. This novel research looks at common surgical outcomes and related effects of using mobile technologies, while also examining the purported affordances underlying complementary alternative therapies (CAT). This pilot randomized controlled trial compares the effectiveness of Icelandic relaxation technique (RT), medical music intervention (MMI), the provision of nature landscape applications with music (NLAM), and nature landscape application without music (NLAWM) via Apple© iPods and iPads compared with no CAT (control group) on Icelandic surgical patients’ (N=106) pre-, intra-, post-operative and five day follow-up for anxiety, pain, and self-efficacy in healing levels. Results indicate the MMI participants versus the control group had a smaller increase in state trait anxiety (p=.04) over time. The NLAWM participants versus the NLAM participants reported less pain over time (p=.03). Comparing the combined four treatment groups with the control group there was a significant decrease in pain levels (p=.04) over time. These particular results associated with mobile technologies delivering CATs for a homogenous sample of same day surgical patients appear salient, however, further empirical research with an increased heterogeneous sample size is required to investigate the affordances of mobile technologies delivering CATs and then evidence based practice using these popular social media tools may be contemplated.
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