The effect of foot reflexology practice in hemodialysis patients on constipation

The study was performed as interventional to determine the effect of foot reflexology practice in hemodialysis patients on constipation. The study was carried with 60 patients as 30 experimental and 30 control group received hemodialysis treatment between November 2015-February 2016 in Private Yavuz Selim Dialysis Center and Private RNS Dialysis Center, in Trabzon. The data was collected with "Patient Information Form", "Constipation Severity Scale", "Bristol Stool Consistency Scale" and "Visual Analog Scale" by the researcher. All of the data collection tools were applied to experimental and control group patients before first hemodialysis session in beginning week. The first foot reflexology practice was performed to experimental group patients during the first hemodialysis sessions in beginning week. This practice was implemented to experimental group patients totally twelve times once in each hemodialysis session throughout four weeks. Foot reflexology practice wasn't performed in control group patients. During the third, sixth and ninth hemodialysis session "Visual Analog Scale", during the twelfth hemodialysis session "Constipation Severity Scale", "Bristol Stool Consistency Scale" and "Visual Analog Scale" were applied again to experimental and control group patients. In the study, it was determined statistically significant decrease in use of laxative, mean scores of "Constipation Severity Scale" and mean scores of it's subscale, mean scores of constipation symptoms intensity according to "Visual Analog Scale"; statistically significant increase in mean scores of "Bristol Stool Consistency Scale" patients in the experimental group compared with patients in the control group (p<0.05). In accordance with the results obtained in the study, it has been suggested by the researcher that foot reflexology practice should be generalised to relieve or remove the constipation that hemodialysis patients suffer.