Authors: Hilman Syarif 1, *, Jufrizal Jufrizal 2, Elka Halifah 3, Novi Afrianti 1, Dewiyuliana Dewiyuliana 1
Affiliations:
1Department of Medical-Surgical Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Banda Aceh, Indonesia
2Department of Emergency Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Banda Aceh, Indonesia
3Department of Maternity Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Banda Aceh, Indonesia
Chemotherapy is a common treatment for cancer, but it often leads to significant side effects, including psychological distress such as anxiety and stress, which may reduce patients’ readiness for treatment. Non-pharmacological interventions, including relaxation techniques, have shown promise in managing these effects. This study evaluated the effectiveness of the Relax-ATM intervention package—a combination of Benson relaxation, aromatherapy, and foot massage—in reducing anxiety and stress and enhancing chemotherapy readiness. A quasi-experimental design was used involving 60 breast cancer patients undergoing at least their second chemotherapy cycle at a referral hospital in Aceh Province, Indonesia, between September and October 2024. Participants were divided equally into intervention and control groups. The intervention group received the Relax-ATM package, while the control group received standard care. Results indicated significant reductions in anxiety (mean score: 8.83 ± 2.33 vs. 11.10 ± 3.26, p = 0.003) and stress (14.70 ± 2.17 vs. 18.67 ± 5.29, p = 0.001), as well as significant improvements in physical (8.03 ± 0.62 vs. 7.40 ± 1.01, p = 0.005) and psychological (8.00 ± 0.83 vs. 7.40 ± 1.00, p = 0.014) readiness for chemotherapy in the intervention group. These findings suggest that the Relax-ATM intervention is an effective non-pharmacological approach to improve emotional well-being and treatment preparedness in breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.
Chemotherapy readiness, Anxiety reduction, Stress management, Breast cancer, Non-pharmacological intervention
https://doi.org/10.21833/ijaas.2025.07.009
Syarif, H., Jufrizal, J., Halifah, E., Afrianti, N., & Dewiyuliana, D. (2025). Effectiveness of the Relax-ATM intervention in reducing anxiety and stress and improving readiness for chemotherapy. International Journal of Advanced and Applied Sciences, 12(7), 100–106. https://doi.org/10.21833/ijaas.2025.07.009