One of the non-medical interventions aimed at reducing sensitization is the cognitive-behavioral approach, in which the individual's attention is shifted from a painful stimulus to an external stimulus. This non-pharmacological approach can be adopted to alleviate stress and reduce cortisol concentrations in response to stress. There are a limited number of studies in the literature using distraction techniques during mammography. This study will examine the effects of distraction techniques on pain and anxiety during mammography.
According to global cancer statistics worldwide, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the leading cause of cancer-related death in women. Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in Turkey (40.7%). Early diagnosis of breast cancer reduces the mortality rate. Mammography is one of the important diagnostic tools used in breast cancer screening. Mammography is the most suitable method for screening with its easily accessible features and is the most successful imaging method in early diagnosis. The American Cancer Society recommends mammography for women aged 40-44. Women aged 45-54 should have mammography every year for breast cancer risk. The National Turkish Guide recommends that screening should start at age 40 and end at age 69 and be applied every two years (Özkan et al., 2016). However, studies show that most women do not routinely undergo mammography. The most important factor preventing mammography in women is defined as pain. Compression of the breasts during mammography is a necessary procedure to reduce radiation dose and improve image quality. Most women report experiencing pain during this compression procedure. Breast tenderness before mammography, family history of breast cancer, high level of education, carelessness of healthcare personnel performing mammography, and previous pain experience with mammography increase the level of pain during mammography. Although there are some techniques to relieve pain today, it is still important to find easier methods to apply. One of the non-medical interventions aimed at reducing sensitivity is the cognitive-behavioral approach; with this approach, the individual's attention is shifted from a painful stimulus to an external stimulus. This non-pharmacological approach can be adopted to alleviate stress and lower cortisol concentrations in response to stress.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
62
Written consent will be obtained from the patients just before they enter the procedure, and Personal Information Forms and the State Anxiety Inventory (STAI) will be applied to all participants. Women in the experimental group will be asked to listen to a lively music of their own choosing during the mammography, or for those who do not want music, their attention will be drawn in a different direction by chatting. At the end of the procedure, the Visual Acuity Scale (VAS) pain scale and the State Anxiety Inventory (STAI) will be applied to both groups.
Visual Analog Scale
The Visual Analog Scale (VAS) is one of the most commonly used instruments to subjectively measure various states such as pain and anxiety. It is a 10 cm ruler with 0 at one end indicating no pain or anxiety and 10 at the other end indicating the worst imaginable pain or anxiety. The scale was used to assess pain after examination in only 2 groups.
Time frame: 5 minutes after the procedure
State Anxiety Inventory (STAI)
To measure state anxiety, which refers to how one feels at the moment, and trait anxiety, which refers to how one feels in general. The State Anxiety Inventory consists of 20 self-reported 4-point Likert-type items, with negatively worded items reverse scored. Total scores range from 20 to 80, with higher scores indicating increased levels of anxiety.
Time frame: 5 minutes after the procedure
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