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Therapeutic Touch and Foot Reflexology on Sleep Quality and Menopausal Symptoms

14. august 2026 opdateret af: CANSU AĞRALI, Osmaniye Korkut Ata University

Comparative Effects of Therapeutic Touch and Foot Reflexology on Sleep Quality and Menopausal Symptoms in Earthquake-affected Postmenopausal Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial

This randomized controlled trial was designed to compare the effects of therapeutic touch and reflexology on sleep quality and menopausal symptoms in postmenopausal women affected by the February 6, 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquakes.

The study included 155 postmenopausal women assigned to therapeutic touch, reflexology, or control groups. Data were collected using the Participant Information Form, the Women's Health Initiative Insomnia Scale (WHIIS), and the Menopausal Symptom Assessment Scale (MSAS). The study evaluated sleep quality and menopausal symptoms at prespecified assessment points and compared changes in these outcomes among the study groups.

Studieoversigt

Status

Afsluttet

Betingelser

Intervention / Behandling

Detaljeret beskrivelse

Natural disasters can have substantial effects on individual and public health. Türkiye is frequently exposed to earthquakes because of its location within the active Mediterranean-Alpine seismic belt. On February 6, 2023, two major earthquakes with magnitudes of 7.7 and 7.6 occurred in the Pazarcık and Elbistan districts of Kahramanmaraş, respectively. The earthquakes affected multiple provinces and disrupted access to healthcare and other essential services. Such disruptions may increase the healthcare needs of vulnerable populations, including women.

The health effects of disasters may vary according to the characteristics of the disaster, preparedness, access to healthcare services, and individual and community resilience. Postmenopausal women may have specific healthcare needs following disasters because menopause-related physiological changes can be accompanied by symptoms such as hot flashes, sleep disturbances, anxiety, and other physical and psychological complaints. Exposure to stressful events may also influence sleep and menopause-related health concerns.

Previous research on women's health following earthquakes has primarily focused on reproductive health, while information regarding menopausal symptoms and sleep problems among postmenopausal women exposed to disasters is limited. Therefore, assessment of these health concerns and evaluation of interventions intended to address them are important for informing post-disaster healthcare practices.

Therapeutic touch is a noninvasive complementary practice involving the practitioner's use of the hands in relation to the individual's body. Reflexology is a complementary practice involving the application of pressure to specific reflex areas, particularly on the feet. Both approaches have been investigated in different populations in relation to symptoms such as stress, sleep disturbances, and menopause-related complaints.

This randomized controlled trial was designed to compare therapeutic touch, reflexology, and a control condition with respect to sleep quality and menopausal symptoms among postmenopausal women affected by the February 6, 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquakes.

A total of 155 postmenopausal women were included in the study. Participants were assigned to therapeutic touch, reflexology, or control groups. Data were collected using the Participant Information Form, the Women's Health Initiative Insomnia Scale (WHIIS), and the Menopausal Symptom Assessment Scale (MSAS). Sleep quality and menopausal symptoms were assessed at prespecified time points.

The planned statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, Pearson chi-square test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), paired-sample t-test, and repeated-measures analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). Pre-intervention scores and income level were included as covariates in the model, and Bonferroni correction was applied for pairwise comparisons. The analyses were planned to evaluate and compare changes in sleep quality and menopausal symptoms among the study groups.

Undersøgelsestype

Interventionel

Tilmelding (Faktiske)

155

Fase

  • Ikke anvendelig

Kontakter og lokationer

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Studiesteder

Deltagelseskriterier

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Berettigelseskriterier

Aldre berettiget til at studere

  • Voksen

Tager imod sunde frivillige

Ja

Beskrivelse

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Women aged 45-64 years.
  • Affected by the February 6, 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquakes.
  • Natural postmenopause (no spontaneous menstruation for at least 12 consecutive months).
  • Living in the container settlement during the study period.
  • Able to communicate in Turkish.
  • Provided written informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • History of surgical menopause.
  • Current menopausal hormone therapy.
  • Diagnosis of a psychiatric disorder.
  • Use of antidepressants, benzodiazepines, hypnotics, narcotic analgesics, or antihistamines.
  • Current use of Reiki, acupressure, phytoestrogens, or other complementary therapies.
  • Foot wounds, infection, or open lesions preventing reflexology.
  • Refusal to participate or withdrawal of consent.

Studieplan

Dette afsnit indeholder detaljer om studieplanen, herunder hvordan undersøgelsen er designet, og hvad undersøgelsen måler.

Hvordan er undersøgelsen tilrettelagt?

Design detaljer

  • Primært formål: Støttende pleje
  • Tildeling: Randomiseret
  • Interventionel model: Parallel tildeling
  • Maskning: Ingen (Åben etiket)

Våben og indgreb

Deltagergruppe / Arm
Intervention / Behandling
Eksperimentel: Therapeutic Touch Group

Participants in the therapeutic touch group received a total of eight sessions of therapeutic touch twice a week for four weeks, in accordance with the standard application protocol recommended in the relevant literature. Each session lasted approximately 15 minutes 24,31. The applications were planned taking into account the days and times convenient for the participants and were performed by the researcher who had completed the first and second level therapeutic touch training organized by the Therapeutic Touch International Association and was entitled to receive certification.

Participants in the reflexology group received a total of eight sessions of foot reflexology twice a week for four weeks, in accordance with the standard reflexology protocol. Each session lasted approximately 30 minutes. The applications were planned taking into account the days and times convenient for the participants and were performed by the researcher who had a Ministry of Health-approved reflexologist

Therapeutic Touch was administered twice weekly for four weeks (8 sessions). Each session lasted approximately 15 minutes and was delivered by a certified Therapeutic Touch practitioner.
Eksperimentel: Reflexology Group
Foot reflexology treatments were performed by a researcher holding a Ministry of Health-approved Reflexologist Practitioner certificate. Prior to the treatment, participants' feet were assessed for the presence of wounds, infections, edema, or open lesions. Participants deemed suitable were positioned supine or semi-sitting. After cleaning and relaxing the feet with a suitable massage oil, manual pressure was applied to the solar plexus, pituitary gland, pineal gland, kidney, adrenal gland, heart, lungs, stomach, liver/spleen, ovaries, and uterus reflex points using toe-walking and pressure techniques according to the standard reflexology protocol. The session was concluded with relaxing stroking movements. Each session consisted of 15 minutes of reflexology applied to each foot, for a total of 30 minutes. Treatments were performed twice a week for four weeks, with each participant receiving a total of eight sessions.
Foot reflexology was administered twice weekly for four weeks (8 sessions). Each session lasted approximately 30 minutes and was delivered by a certified reflexologist.
Ingen indgriben: Control Group
Participants in the control group received no intervention during the four-week study period. Following the completion of the final test assessments, participants who requested it received two sessions of therapeutic touch or foot reflexology as an ethical measure.

Hvad måler undersøgelsen?

Primære resultatmål

Resultatmål
Foranstaltningsbeskrivelse
Tidsramme
Sleep Quality
Tidsramme: Baseline and Week 4
Sleep quality will be assessed using the Women's Health Initiative Insomnia Rating Scale (WHIIRS). The total score ranges from 0 to 20, with higher scores indicating greater severity of insomnia symptoms and poorer sleep quality.
Baseline and Week 4

Sekundære resultatmål

Resultatmål
Foranstaltningsbeskrivelse
Tidsramme
Postmenopausal Symptoms
Tidsramme: Baseline and Week 4

Postmenopausal Symptoms

Postmenopausal symptoms will be assessed using the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS). The total score ranges from 0 to 44, with higher scores indicating greater severity of menopausal symptoms and therefore a worse outcome.

Baseline and Week 4

Samarbejdspartnere og efterforskere

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Sponsor

Datoer for undersøgelser

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Studer store datoer

Studiestart (Faktiske)

15. august 2025

Primær færdiggørelse (Faktiske)

15. januar 2026

Studieafslutning (Faktiske)

1. august 2026

Datoer for studieregistrering

Først indsendt

1. august 2026

Først indsendt, der opfyldte QC-kriterier

14. august 2026

Først opslået (Faktiske)

17. august 2026

Opdateringer af undersøgelsesjournaler

Sidste opdatering sendt (Faktiske)

17. august 2026

Sidste opdatering indsendt, der opfyldte kvalitetskontrolkriterier

14. august 2026

Sidst verificeret

1. august 2026

Mere information

Begreber relateret til denne undersøgelse

Andre undersøgelses-id-numre

  • 2024/03

Plan for individuelle deltagerdata (IPD)

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