Effects of Progressive Relaxation Exercises on Anxiety and Comfort of Turkish Breast Cancer Patients Receiving Chemotherapy

Background: Breast cancer is the second most common cancer in the world and by far the most frequent canceramong women.
Objective: This study was conducted to observe the effect of progressive relaxation exercises onanxiety and comfort level of breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. Materials and
Methods: A controlgroup pre-test/post-test quasi-experimental model was applied with experimental (30) and control (30) groups,who agreed to participate in this study. Data collection was with the “Personnel Information Form, State-TraitAnxiety Inventory and General Comfort Scale”.
Results: The average age of the patients that participated inthe study was 49.1±7.96 years. Eighty-three point three percent (n=25) of the patients in the experiment groupand 86.7 (n=26) percent of patients in control group were married. Patient state of anxiety post-test mean scoreswere 36.2±8.21 in the experimental group and 43.4±7.96 in the control group, the difference being statisticallysignificant (p<0.05). The general comfort scale post-test mean scores were 149.5±13.9 in the experimental groupand 137.7±15.0 in the control group, again statistically significant (p<0.05).
Conclusions: Progressive relaxationexercises positively affect patient comfort and anxiety levels in Turkey.