Dyspnea: Effect of Auricular Acupressure in End Stage Lung Cancer Patients, a Pilot Feasibility Study
type: CreativeWork
description: Introduction: Dyspnea is a debilitating symptom, common in advanced lung cancer patients, and poorly controlled. The National Institutes of Health has promoted the need for research regarding end of life care symptom control. Purpose: Conduct a feasibility study evaluating auricular acupressure effects on dyspnea in hospice lung cancer patients. Theoretical framework: The UCSF School of Nursing Symptom Management Faculty Group's Model for Symptom Management was used for the conceptual framework. The model includes three dimensions: symptom experience, symptom management strategies, and symptom outcomes. The Human Energy Field Theory provided context for using auricular acupressure. Aim: Conduct a pilot study evaluating feasibility and effects of auricular acupressure on dyspnea. Hypotheses: auricular-acupressure seed adhesive use on appropriate points plus standard care (SC) would be more effective than usual care or usual care plus placebo in (1) reducing dyspnea and (2) increasing oxygen saturation. Methods: Both quantitative and qualitative methods. Sample - 11 hospice patients with lung cancer and dyspnea. Procedure - 8 times (Day 1 baseline and post intervention, Days 2 early-late, 3 early-late, 4 early-late follow-ups) dyspnea was measured by the Cancer Dyspnea Scale and oxygen saturation was measured by pulse-oximeter. Qualitative questions were asked on Days 1 and 4. A trained professional administered the acupressure intervention after baseline assessments. Design -The experimental design included 3 conditions with eight measurement points in time. Patients were randomly assigned to one of three treatment conditions: (1) Standard Care; (2) Standard Care with seed adhesive on inappropriate points (placebo); (3) Standard Care with seed adhesive Auricular acupressure on appropriate points. The results were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results: Both quantitative and qualitative analyses supported the presence of acupressure effects with medium t…
abstract: Introduction: Dyspnea is a debilitating symptom, common in advanced lung cancer patients, and poorly controlled. The National Institutes of Health has promoted the need for research regarding end of life care symptom control. Purpose: Conduct a feasibility study evaluating auricular acupressure effects on dyspnea in hospice lung cancer patients. Theoretical framework: The UCSF School of Nursing Symptom Management Faculty Group's Model for Symptom Management was used for the conceptual framework. The model includes three dimensions: symptom experience, symptom management strategies, and symptom outcomes. The Human Energy Field Theory provided context for using auricular acupressure. Aim: Conduct a pilot study evaluating feasibility and effects of auricular acupressure on dyspnea. Hypotheses: auricular-acupressure seed adhesive use on appropriate points plus standard care (SC) would be more effective than usual care or usual care plus placebo in (1) reducing dyspnea and (2) increasing oxygen saturation. Methods: Both quantitative and qualitative methods. Sample - 11 hospice patients with lung cancer and dyspnea. Procedure - 8 times (Day 1 baseline and post intervention, Days 2 early-late, 3 early-late, 4 early-late follow-ups) dyspnea was measured by the Cancer Dyspnea Scale and oxygen saturation was measured by pulse-oximeter. Qualitative questions were asked on Days 1 and 4. A trained professional administered the acupressure intervention after baseline assessments. Design -The experimental design included 3 conditions with eight measurement points in time. Patients were randomly assigned to one of three treatment conditions: (1) Standard Care; (2) Standard Care with seed adhesive on inappropriate points (placebo); (3) Standard Care with seed adhesive Auricular acupressure on appropriate points. The results were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results: Both quantitative and qualitative analyses supported the presence of acupressure effects with medium t…
author: Strong, Roger Alan, PhD
keywords: Auricular Acupressure, Dyspnea, end of life care, hospice, Lung Cancer, nursing, patients
date published: 2008-04-01T07:00:00Z
date modified: 2026-07-24T05:40:49Z
provider: University of San Diego
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: University of San Diego