Exploring Aromatherapy as a Complementary Approach in Palliative Care: A Systematic Review.

Area of Science:

• Integrative Oncology
• Palliative Medicine
• Complementary Therapies

Background:

• Palliative care focuses on improving quality of life for patients with life-threatening illnesses.
• Aromatherapy is a holistic complementary therapy with reported patient benefits.
• Its role in symptom management within palliative care requires systematic evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review the efficacy of aromatherapy interventions for symptom management in palliative care.
• To assess aromatherapy's impact on pain, anxiety, nausea, and sleep disturbances.
• To identify the potential of aromatherapy as a complementary therapy in this setting.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature search was conducted across multiple databases.
• Eight studies met the eligibility criteria for inclusion in the systematic review.
• The review analyzed aromatherapy's efficacy, primarily via massage, in managing key symptoms.

Main Results:

• Aromatherapy interventions demonstrated significant efficacy in reducing pain and anxiety.
• Improvements in nausea and sleep quality were also noted among palliative care patients.
• Significant heterogeneity in study methodologies and outcome measures was observed.

Conclusions:

• Aromatherapy shows potential as an effective complementary intervention in palliative care symptom management.
• Methodological inconsistencies across studies necessitate further research with standardized approaches.
• Larger trials are essential to validate aromatherapy's effectiveness and guide clinical integration.