A Study to evaluate the effectiveness of guided imagery on pain and quality of life among patients with cancer in a selected hospital at Coimbatore

INTRODUCTION: Most patients with cancer experienced pain during treatment and its side effects of treatment. Ignoring this pain can contribute to worsening overall well-being of patients and slowed recovery process. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of guided imagery on pain and quality of life among patients with cancer. DESIGN: A quantitative evaluative approach, a quasi experimental non randomized control group design. PARTICIPANTS: 60 patients with cancer were selected by using non probability purposive sampling technique in Ashwin Hospital at Coimbatore. INTERVENTION: Guided imagery twice a day for 20 minutes duration for 5 consecutive days was given to the experimental group. TOOL: Standardized Verbal Descriptor Pain Assessment scale was used to evaluate the level of pain and modified EORTC QLQ-C30 scale was used to evaluate the quality of life. RESULT: Analysis and interpretation was done by using independent "t" test and paired "t" test found significant values for pain 19.25 & 24.03, for quality of life 4.11 & 3.42 respectively at p < 0.05 level and "r" value was -0.37. CONCLUSION: Guided Imagery resulted in reduction in level of pain and improved quality of life among patients with cancer