Effect of hand massage applied to elderly people staying in a nursing home on sleep quality and anxiety level

This study was conducted to determine the effects of hand massage on sleep quality and anxiety levels in individuals living in a nursing home. This randomized controlled experimental study was conducted between November 2024 and December 2024 with 54 individuals (27 hand massage, 27 controls) residing in two different nursing homes in Amasya province. They met the inclusion criteria and agreed to participate in the study. Individuals in the intervention group received a 10-minute hand massage, 5 minutes on each hand, three times a week for 4 weeks (12 sessions in total). Pretest data were collected at the first interview (day 1), and posttest data were collected after the 4-week hand massage application (day 30). The control group received no intervention. Data were collected using an Introductory Information Form, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and the Trait Anxiety Scale. Chi-square analysis, dependent sample t-test, independent sample t-test, one-way analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) were used to evaluate the data. There was no significant difference in sociodemographic characteristics between the individuals in the hand massage group and the control group. A significant difference was found between the mean Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and Trait Anxiety Inventory scores of both groups at the pre-test (p < 0.05), and individuals in the hand massage group were found to have lower sleep quality and higher anxiety levels than those in the control group. In the post-test, the mean Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index scores of individuals in the hand massage group were found to be significantly lower than those in the control group (p <0.01), while no significant difference was found between the mean Trait Anxiety Inventory scores (p> 0.05). On the other hand, the difference between the mean pre-test and post-test Trait Anxiety Inventory scores of the hand massage group was significant, and the mean scale score was lower at the post-test (p <0.05) In conclusion, it was determined that hand massage applied to nursing home residents improved their sleep quality and was partially effective in reducing anxiety levels. Nurses are recommended to utilize hand massage to improve poor sleep quality and high anxiety levels.