The Effect of Abdominal Massage on Constipation and Quality of Life

Abstract

This study was a randomized controlled trial aimed to find the impact of abdominal massage application on constipation and quality of life among patients. The sample included 30 intervention (abdominal massage) and 30 control subjects. To collect data, the following were utilized: Patient Information Form, Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale, Constipation Severity Instrument, Bristol Scale Stool Form, Patient Assessment of Constipation Quality of Life (PAC-QOL) Scale, and European Quality of Life Instrument (EQ-5D). The data were collected from among patients in the morning and evening on the fourth, fifth, and sixth days postoperatively. No significant findings were discovered between experimental and control groups in terms of individual characteristics and characteristics that might influence constipation (p > .05). It was found that patients who received abdominal massage application defecated more often following their surgery than patients in the control group, which led to a statistically high level of significant difference between the groups (p ≤ .001). It was also found that the experimental group displayed higher average PAC-QOL and EQ-5D scores on discharge. Findings indicated that abdominal massage applied to patients diagnosed with postoperative constipation reduced symptoms of constipation, decreased time intervals between defecation, and increased quality of life.