POSTMENOPOZAL DÖNEMDEKİ KADINLARDA OTOJENİK GEVŞEME EGZERSİZİ VE SOĞUK YASTIK UYGULAMASININ VAZOMOTOR SEMPTOM KONTROLÜ VE YAŞAM KALİTESİNE ETKİSİNİN BELİRLENMESİ

Abstract

Güneş A. Determination of the Effects of Autogenic Relaxation Exercise and Cold Pillow Application on Vasomotor Symptom Control and Quality of Life in Postmenopausal Women, Hacettepe University Graduate School of Health Sciences Obstetrics and Gynecology Nursing Program PhD Thesis, Ankara, 2022. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of autogenic relaxation exercise and cold pillows on vasomotor symptom control and quality of life. This randomized controlled study was carried out at Kırıkkale University Faculty of Medicine Hospital, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Gynecology Department between 22.06.2018 and 02.01.2019. The sample of the study consisted of 88 people, 44 in the intervention group and 44 in the control group. Since there were case losses in the research, the research was completed with a total of 69 people, 34 in the intervention group and 35 in the control group. The women in the intervention group performed autogenic relaxation exercises and cold pillow application for 8 weeks, and the women in the control group received outpatient care in the hospital. Research data were collected using Descriptive Characteristics Form, Menopause-Specific Quality of Life Scale, Vasomotor Symptom and Practice Follow-up Diary. Data collection tools were applied to the women during the first interview, and at the 4th and 8th weeks after the women were included in the study. In the analysis of descriptive data; number, percentage, mean and standard deviation were used. Independent groups t test was used to determine the difference between groups. The relationship between two independent categorical variables was analyzed using the chi-square test. Variables between dependent groups were compared in repeated measurements with anova test and mixed anova test. In the study, it was found that the frequency, duration and severity of vasomotor symptoms decreased in women in the intervention group compared to the control group (p<0,05). In addition, when the women in the intervention group were compared with the control group, a significant improvement was found in the vasomotor, psychosocial and physical domain sub-dimensions of menopausal-specific quality of life (p<0,05), while there was no statistically significant change in the sexual domain sub-dimension (p>0,05). In the study, it was determined that autogenic relaxation exercise and cold pillow application reduced the frequency, duration and severity of vasomotor symptoms and improved vasomotor, physical and psychosocial aspects of quality of life. For this reason, autogenic relaxation exercise and cold pillow application are recommended for postmenopausal women in order to control vasomotor symptoms and improve quality of life.