COMPARING THE EFFECTS OF BACK MASSAGE AND MUSIC ON FATIGUE IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC HEART FAILURE

Fatigue can affect the comfort and self-care behaviors of patients. Use of
complementary therapies including back massage and music can be effective in improving it.
Accordingly, the researcher aimed to compare the effect of back massage and music on fatigue in
patients with chronic heart failure.
Material & Methods: This quasi-experimental study with pre-test post-test design with comparison
group was conducted in Doctor Shariati Hospital of Tehran University of Medical Sciences. In this
study, in each group (Control, Back Massage and Music), 30 hospitalized patients with chronic heart
failure were recruited through convenience sampling. Then patients were allocated in groups by simple
randomization. Data was collected by fatigue scale. Back massage was conducted daily for 20 minutes
after the meeting for three consecutive days by using almond oil. In music group, patient’s preferred
music including one of the three types of classical, gentle and Iranian traditional music was played for
20 minutes after meeting for 3 consecutive days by a tape recorder and headphone. Before and 15
minutes after intervention, the patient's fatigue was measured and compared. Data was analyzed by using
ANOVA, Paired t test, Fisher’s exact test through SPSSv.21 software.
Results: The results showed that in patients' preferring music and back massage, the fatigue was
significantly reduced fatigue. Back massage reduced fatigue of patients with chronic heart failure more
than music (p<0.001). In comparing before and after intervention, mean (SD) score of fatigue in music
group reduced from 66.26 (10.60) to 49.56 (11.50), and in the back massage group, it was decreased
from 68.26 (14.10) to 42.03 (13.50).
Conclusion: Both music and back massage have an impact on reducing fatigue; however, back massage
was more effective than music on decreasing fatigue. It is recommended that based on patients’ and
heath care providers’ preference, each of these complementary methods can be used, however back
massage is preferred to the music