The Effect of Precolonoscopy Lavender Inhalation on Patient Anxiety and Comfort

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of lavender oil inhalation on the anxiety and comfort levels of patients scheduled for colonoscopy. Seventy-three experimental group patients scheduled for colonoscopy at a training and research hospital in the west of Turkey in June to September 2022 and 72 control group patients were included in this randomized, controlled, prospective study. Minimal sedation (propofol 2–3 mg/kg) was applied in both groups. Lavender inhalation was applied to the experimental group, whereas the control group patients received nursing care (vital sign monitoring, prevention of complications, and rest). The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and the Shortened General Comfort Questionnaire were used for pre- and postprocedural data collection. Median ages were 53.00 years (47.25–59.00) in the experimental group patients and 51.00 (44.00–59.5) in the control group. Although postprocedural state anxiety scores were lower in the experimental group compared with the control group, the difference was not statistically significant (p = .069). The general postcolonoscopy comfort score was significantly higher in the experimental group compared with the control group (p < .001). Trait anxiety scores also increased as the number of colonoscopies increased in both groups. We conclude that lavender oil inhalation, a simple and inexpensive intervention, increases patient comfort while exhibiting a positive, albeit statistically insignificant, effect on anxiety.