A Study to Assess the Effectiveness of Deep Breathing Exercises on Pain and Anxiety Among Patients Undergoing Abdominal Surgery in Selected Hospitals at Tirunelveli District

Abstract

A study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of deep breathing exercises on pain and anxiety among patients undergone abdominal surgery. The aim of the study to reduce the pain and anxiety among patients undergone abdominal surgery. The study objectives are to assess the pre-test and post-test level of pain and anxiety among patients undergone abdominal surgery in experimental and control group, to evaluate the effectiveness of deep breathing exercises on pain and anxiety among patients undergone abdominal surgery in experimental group, to find out the association between pre-test level of pain and anxiety with their selected demographic and clinical variables in experimental and control group. The study followed a quasi-experimental design with a pre-test and post-test control group. The sample size consisted of 60 patients undergone abdominal surgery and were selected using a purposive sampling technique. The conceptual framework set up for the study was two theories that collectively support the central premise of this study to reduce pain through the Gate Control Theory and anxiety through the Relaxation Response Theory. The data collection tool includes assessment of pain and anxiety by using the Numeric Pain Rating Scale and State Trait Anxiety Inventory Scale. Deep breathing exercises were taught for the experimental group that may help to reduce pain and anxiety. The intervention was administered for 15 minutes per session 2 times per day, for 4 consecutive days post-surgery. The data were analyzed by using descriptive and inferential statistics. During the pre-test in the experimental group, the majority of the patients reported severe pain and anxiety, whereas during the post-test, most of them experienced low pain and anxiety. The mean score of pain and anxiety among patients who underwent abdominal surgery in the experimental group was 6.30 during pre-test and 1.06 during post-test. The paired t-test value for pain was 12.90 and for anxiety, 9.68. The mean post-test score of pain was 1.06 and anxiety was 26.63 in the experimental group, and the post-test score of pain was 3.30 and anxiety was 34.15 in the control group among patients who underwent abdominal surgery. The unpaired t-test value for pain was 7.11, and anxiety was 3.48, which is statistically significant. It indicates that deep breathing exercises are effective in reducing pain and anxiety among patients undergone abdominal surgery.