The Effects of Stress Ball Use on Comfort and Anxiety Levels in Hemodialysis Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Objective:The aim of this study was to evaluate the comfort and anxiety levels of patients undergoing hemodialysis using a stress ball. Method:This was a randomized controlled trial. The patients were then told how to use the stress ball. The patients were then instructed to squeeze the stress ball for 15 minutes before the dialysis process began. During this time, the patient was emphasized to use the stress ball with the arm without a fistula or graft. The patient was then dialyzed and again instructed to squeeze the stress ball for 15 minutes. This practice was continued for nine hemodialysis sessions. Results:A statistically significant difference was found between the experimental and control groups in the comfort levels (t=13.254, p<0.001) and the effect size was found to be very high (d=1.56). A statistically significant difference was found between the experimental and control groups in the anxiety levels (t=8.406, p<0.001), and the effect size was found to be very high (d=1.69). Conclusion:The stress ball decreased anxiety levels and increased comfort levels in HD patients. In particular, long durations of hemodialysis treatment and dialysis durations of up to 4 hours negatively affect the quality of life of patients. According to the effect size analysis conducted in our study, the stress ball had a high-level effect on comfort and anxiety.