Effectiveness of Foot Massage on Pain Among Cancer Patients at Selected Hospitals, Salem

A study to evaluate the effectiveness of foot massage on pain among cancer patients at a selected hospital, Salem. A quantitative evaluative approach with quasi experimental pre and post test design was used. Through non probability convenience sampling technique 60 samples were selected, from Sharon Cancer Hospital. The level of pain was assessed by using numerical pain intensity scale before and after intervention for 5 days in experimental group and without intervention for control group. Findings reveal that 27 (90%) samples of experimental and 28 (93.33%) samples of control group were non vegetarian and 27 (90%) of experimental and 28 (93.33%) of control group were diagnosed as cancer patients within last three years. On day 1 during pre test half 16 (53.33%) of experimental group and 19 (63.33%) of control group had severe pain whereas in post test 16 (53.33%) of experimental and half 15 (50%) of control group had moderate pain. On day 5, during pre test majority of samples 23 (76.67%) in experimental group had mild pain and in control group 24 (80%) had moderate pain. During post test 21 (70%) samples in experimental group had mild pain and 23 (76.67%) of control group had moderate pain. The post test mean and SD score for experimental group was 3.08 ± 1.10 and for control group was 5.33 ±1.09. The obtained z-value was 8.01 which is significant at p<0.05 level which proves that foot massage was effective in reducing pain among cancer patients. There was significant association between the type of cancer and stages of cancer with pain in experimental group and the sex, type of cancer and stages of cancer in control group at p