A Randomized Prospective Placebo-Controlled Study of the Effects of Lavender Aromatherapy on Preoperative Anxiety in Cataract Surgery Patients

Philip Francis Stanley; Lai Foon Wan; Rostihar Abdul Karim

doi:10.1016/j.jopan.2019.12.004

A Randomized Prospective Placebo-Controlled Study of the Effects of Lavender Aromatherapy on Preoperative Anxiety in Cataract Surgery Patients

J Perianesth Nurs. 2020 Aug;35(4):403-406. doi: 10.1016/j.jopan.2019.12.004. Epub 2020 Mar 13.

Authors

Philip Francis Stanley¹, Lai Foon Wan², Rostihar Abdul Karim²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, Singapore. Electronic address: philip.stanley@ktph.com.sg.
² Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, Singapore.

PMID: 32178950
DOI: 10.1016/j.jopan.2019.12.004

Abstract

Purpose: To determine if lavender aromatherapy can reduce preoperative anxiety in cataract surgery patients.

Design: Single-center prospective randomized placebo-controlled trial.

Methods: Seventy-five patients awaiting cataract surgery were randomized to lavender essential oil or grape seed oil (control) and administered the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Vital signs were also recorded.

Findings: Patients in the lavender group showed greater improvements in self-reported anxiety using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (P = .023, two-sample t test). Compared with the control group, the effects of lavender on the reduction of anxiety were statistically significant when adjusting for age, gender, and baseline scores (P = .012, analysis of covariance).

Conclusions: Lavender aromatherapy reduced anxiety in preoperative cataract surgery patients.

Keywords: anxiety; aromatherapy; cataract surgery.

Publication types

Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

Anxiety / prevention & control
Anxiety / therapy*
Aromatherapy*
Cataract* / psychology
Humans
Lavandula*
Prospective Studies